‘Postmodernism. Style and Subversion 1970–1990’

06.07.2012 – 28.10.2012

Jean-Paul Goude and Antonio Lopez, Constructivist maternity dress for Grace Jones, 1979
© Jean-Paul Goude

The major exhibition shown in the autumn of 2011 at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) will be at the National Museum Zurich from 6 July 2012. It is considered the first in- depth survey of art, design and architecture of the 1970s and 1980s, examining one of the most contentious phenomena in recent art and design history: Postmodernism.
The V&A has put together a compact touring exhibition from the show, which includes the most important key objects. It presents the rapid development of the post-modern movement, which evolved from a provocative architectural movement in the early 1970s to influence all areas of popular culture including film, music, graphics and fashion.
The National Museum Zurich is supplementing the exhibition with the most important Swiss representatives of Postmodernism, and integrates the whole exhibition into a timeline of political, economic and social events. Trix and Robert Haussmann will be rep- resented with their Manierismo Critico and Susi and Ueli Berger with their ironic works. The Ticino School, Mario Botta and Analogue Architecture represent the debate about architecture in the 1980s. Jewellery by Berhard Schobinger, clothes by Christa de Ca- rouge, graphic design, as well as video art by Fischli/Weiss and music by Yello round off the Swiss contributions. The exhibits consist of objects from the collection of the Swiss National Museum as well as loans from private individuals and museums.