The Paradoxa Manifesto

The role of paradox in metamodern art

I.

Paradox underlies all creative forces. The elimination of paradox creates equilibrium, and equilibrium is death. The Renaissance was driven by paradoxical tensions between the Medieval world view and the emerging Modern Era. Baroque, Rococo, and other post-Renaissance movements were the resolution of those tensions in favor of the values of the Modern Era, institutionalized into the various Academies. Modernism as an art movement was driven by paradoxical tensions between the Modern Era and the emerging egalitarian world view. Postmodernism in art was the resolution of those tensions in favor of the values of postmodern egalitarianism, institutionalized into our Universities.