The article titled “The Re-Circulation of the Past: Ironic and Eclectic Approaches in Postmodern Art” by Prof. Dr. Aysun Cançat, a faculty member in the Department of Graphic Design at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Istanbul Gelişim University (IGU), has been published in the Izlek Academic Journal. The study examines how postmodern art reinterprets the past through the concepts of irony and eclecticism, drawing on the works of Russell Connor, Carlo Maria Mariani, David Salle, and Osman Hamdi Bey as case studies. By analyzing the critical, pluralistic, and reproduction-based nature of postmodern art, the article contributes to art theory and the contemporary art literature.
The academic article titled “The Re-Circulation of the Past: Ironic and Eclectic Approaches in Postmodern Art” by Prof. Dr. Aysun Cançat, faculty member in the Department of Graphic Design at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Istanbul Gelişim University (IGU), has been published in Izlek Academic Journal, Volume 9, Issue 1 (2026). Focusing on art theory and contemporary artistic practices, the study examines the impact of postmodernism on artistic production through the concepts of irony and eclecticism, offering valuable contributions to current discussions in the field of art.
The article explores postmodern thought within the context of art by examining how the progressive and universalist ideals of modernism began to be questioned in response to the social, cultural, and technological transformations of the twentieth century. Rather than rejecting the past, the study emphasizes that postmodern art reinterprets historical aesthetic and cultural references, highlighting reproduction, intertextuality, irony, and eclectic expression as fundamental characteristics of contemporary artistic practice.
The research analyzes the works of artists such as Russell Connor, Carlo Maria Mariani, David Salle, and Osman Hamdi Bey through selected case studies. These analyses demonstrate how historical artistic imagery and visual references are recontextualized, how aesthetic approaches from different historical periods are brought together within a single artwork, and how postmodern art creates a multilayered field of interpretation. The article argues that postmodern art represents not only a stylistic transformation but also a powerful framework for reinterpreting critical thought, cultural memory, and art history.
Prepared using a qualitative research methodology, the study combines an extensive review of the literature on art history and aesthetics with contemporary examples, providing an analytical examination of the intellectual foundations of postmodern art. By approaching artistic heritage from a pluralistic and critical perspective, the article contributes to contemporary art research while also serving as a valuable resource for art education and theoretical studies.
Istanbul Gelişim University continues to support scientific production through the national and international academic publications of its faculty members, contributing to the advancement of research and scholarship in the fields of art and design.
The article explores postmodern thought within the context of art by examining how the progressive and universalist ideals of modernism began to be questioned in response to the social, cultural, and technological transformations of the twentieth century. Rather than rejecting the past, the study emphasizes that postmodern art reinterprets historical aesthetic and cultural references, highlighting reproduction, intertextuality, irony, and eclectic expression as fundamental characteristics of contemporary artistic practice.
The research analyzes the works of artists such as Russell Connor, Carlo Maria Mariani, David Salle, and Osman Hamdi Bey through selected case studies. These analyses demonstrate how historical artistic imagery and visual references are recontextualized, how aesthetic approaches from different historical periods are brought together within a single artwork, and how postmodern art creates a multilayered field of interpretation. The article argues that postmodern art represents not only a stylistic transformation but also a powerful framework for reinterpreting critical thought, cultural memory, and art history.
Prepared using a qualitative research methodology, the study combines an extensive review of the literature on art history and aesthetics with contemporary examples, providing an analytical examination of the intellectual foundations of postmodern art. By approaching artistic heritage from a pluralistic and critical perspective, the article contributes to contemporary art research while also serving as a valuable resource for art education and theoretical studies.
Istanbul Gelişim University continues to support scientific production through the national and international academic publications of its faculty members, contributing to the advancement of research and scholarship in the fields of art and design.