Collision And Harmony

At the advent of the 20th century, pop culture is prominent in Chinese society as a major expressive outlet for the masses. The fine arts, with its tradition in realism, still capture the aesthetic interest and appreciation of the masses and its presence is prevalent in the business world. However, pop culture is no longer just a western phenomenon but a cultural reality that permeates many aspects of our lives. Pop culture not only influences but is also influenced by new trends in our lives, providing the opportunity for the emergence of a new type of pop culture. As we live in a global market economy with emphasis on commodities, it is not surprising that everything from daily necessities, living and work environments and even art and entertainment are being commercialized. This new contemporary standard of commercialization tends to homogenize and commercialize art, stripping away much of the spiritual and idealistic traits. In this period of consumerism centered on'having fun'we are drifting away from majestic, poetic and tragic art, causing dramatic changes in the rules and standards of culture. Indeed, pop culture seems to control our thoughts and behavior with its omnipresence in our society. With the acceleration of the global economy, the rate at which Western commodities and entertainment are entering the third world is unprecedented. While this peacefully introduces Western values to the third world, it also displaces and diminishes traditional culture and ideology.The post 1980s generation witnessed the rapid development of China after policy reforms and the adoption of a market economy opened China to the rest of the world. It is a unique generation that is growing with modern China. During their lifetime, this generation has experienced first-hand a nation that is striving for excellence and the hard work necessary to achieve it. This generation has memories of their motherland being relatively poor and backward, and they also have a complete view of the modern accomplishments the nation has achieved. This generation lived a simple childhood, without any high-end technologies and materialistic enjoyment; but it was a childhood that nevertheless was precious and fulfilling. Their adolescence was one of cutting edge information technology and new objects in the new century. Now they are maturing to become the force behind modern China, to contemplate the honor and the future of their nation and undertake the responsibilities of the society. Pop culture has been the background to the evolution, development and reality of Chinese art since the 1980's. The post 1980's generation of artists witnessed the conversion from planned economy to market economy, the weakening of political awareness, and of the emergence and expansion of consumerism. The works created by artists from the post 1980's are artistic reflections of the confusion during a period of ethical reevaluation, and they are the spiritual products of a period of historical transition. These artists live and create under both the impact of pop culture and the continual changes of values in the Chinese society. This generation demands our continued research and reevaluation.The first chapter of this paper presents the fundamental concepts and characteristics of pop culture. It reviews the influence of twentieth century pop culture to art in general. The chapter also attempts to interpret the effect pop culture had on changing the Chinese aesthetic standard and how it continues to influence it today.The second chapter of this paper mainly analyzes the popular topic of"post 1980's phenomenon."It relates the historical background of this generation to the artistic characteristics of post 1980's artists and the difficulties they experience. The third chapter builds on the opportunities and difficulties the post 1980's generation experiences in their artistic creation as discussed in the previous chapter. It also discusses the responsibilities and standards for artists who are shouldering the development of Chinese Art while being influenced by pop culture.