Modernity's Contemporary Relevance Debated

In artpress, Richard Leydier's editorial explores how modernist architecture and neoplasticism have shaped today's artists. Thibaut de Ruyter's article, "Postérité(s) de la modernité," examines artists who incorporate modernist styles. The publication features monographs on Tatiana Trouvé, whose creations present unusual structures, and Vito Acconci, who shifted to architecture during the 1980s. Acconci, in an interview, connects his earlier performance art to his architectural endeavors. Leydier critiques the tendency to nostalgically simplify modernity, suggesting that the uncertainties of contemporary life compel artists to revert to traditional forms. He argues that to fully engage with the 21st century, modernist aspects should be removed, highlighting Trouvé's uniqueness and Acconci's fascination with inversion and baroque spirals, while also referencing an alternative modernist lineage that includes Picasso, Ernst, and De Kooning.