NEW SINCERITY IN POST-POSTMODERN ART

Abstract

This article explores an issue of New Sincerity in post-postmodern context, in post-postmodern culture uppermost and in literature in the first instance. The research considers post-postmodern New Sincerity in comparison with postmodern apathy, redundant intellectualization and quotation, etc. In such a case New Sincerity is closely related to post-postmodern genuineness, authenticity, honesty, veracity, earnest and seriousness. Postmodern ironical eclecticism as a kind of deconstruction develops in reconstructive post-postmodern non- and metafiction sincerity. Therefore, New Sincerity as a sensitivity appears both as a general cultural atmosphere and a certain kind of philosophy with its peculiar aesthetics, ethics, ontology, etc. For example, the category of beauty realizes in post-postmodern aesthetics in a connection with a more sincere perception and feeling of art and nature. The article investigates the differences between New Sincerity and postirony and New Sincerity turns out to be not so much ironic as humorous. The exploration of New Sincerity takes place in its main part on the material of post-postmodern literature, which in the best way combines conceptualizing and perceptualizing. However, in its most actual manifestations, New Sincerity in connection with postirony appears at the intersection of theory, literature, movie, rock, network and mem-art, etc. In all cases, an appeal to vernacular culture allows for conveying a private experience. In such a context post-postmodern art become more sincere than postmodern one. Rude jokes or mundane activity, traumatic or banal contribute to the achievement of a greater degree of intimacy and love than overly straightforward tolerance. The reason for this is postironical supposition, that irony ironizes itself and became self-referential and hence therapeutical and joyful. Thus, New Sincerity appeals to the interconnection of seriousness and postironic humor, depth and superficies. In conclusion, the article stresses the significance of New Sincerity for post-postmodern aesthetics and ethics. With its help a possibility of sappy personal utterance and access to the Real, lost in the postmodern condition, appears again, renewed and enriched.