Question 1

In his graffiti-inspired Charles the First,Jean-Michel Basquiat includes a crown to
A) symbolize his African ancestors.
B) parody the U.S. government.
C) honor African-American heroes.
D) evoke the evils of Caribbean colonialism.

Accepted Answer

The crown in Jean-Michel Basquiat's work, including "Charles the First," is a recurring motif that is often interpreted as a way to honor African-American heroes and figures of greatness, elevating them within the context of his art.

Question 2

In his poem "If We Get It," David Antin leaves meaning open to interpretation by
A) using indeterminate words.
B) making contradictory statements.
C) omitting all punctuation.
D) using irregular meter and rhyme

Accepted Answer

David Antin leaves meaning open to interpretation by using indeterminate words. He uses words that can have multiple meanings and can be interpreted in various ways, leaving the reader to form their own understanding of the poem.

Question 3

Frank Gehry used industrial materials such as corrugated metal and concrete blocks to surround his house to
A) keep his neighbors away.
B) create a sense of unease in its viewers.
C) provide contrast with the house's frame construction.
D) inexpensively expand the house's living space.

Accepted Answer

B

Question 4

In literature,the postmodern hero differ from his or her predecessors by
A) having been rejected by society for not conforming.
B) embracing his or her ordinariness and lack of purpose.
C) having no definable goal and merely wandering through life.
D) accepting that the search for meaning is never-ending.

Accepted Answer

The postmodern hero's lack of a definable goal and acceptance that the search for meaning is never-ending distinguishes them from previous heroic models, who typically had a clear goal and a sense of purpose. The postmodern hero recognizes the complexity and uncertainty of the world and does not conform to traditional societal norms, but they still maintain a sense of agency and responsibility in shaping their own destiny.

Question 5

Zhang Huan invited 40 Chinese peasants to be photographed standing in a pond in an effort to
A) make it into the Guinness Book of World Records.
B) show how Western culture was drowning the Chinese.
C) raise Beijing officials' consciousness about the poor.
D) show how the Chinese class system caused loss of self.

Accepted Answer

The mention of peasants and raising officials' consciousness about the poor suggests that the purpose of the photography was meant to highlight poverty and potentially bring attention to the issue from those in power. The other answer choices do not have any clear connection to the given information.

Question 6

Santiago Calatrava designed the Port Authority Trans Hudson station at the World Trade Center site to resemble a
A) stepped-terrace memorial garden.
B) rainbow.
C) series of monoliths of graduated heights.
D) a bird being released by a child's hands.

Accepted Answer

Santiago Calatrava's design for the Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) station at the World Trade Center site is inspired by the image of a bird being released from a child's hands. This design choice reflects a sense of hope and freedom, serving as a poignant symbol in the context of the World Trade Center's reconstruction following the events of September 11, 2001.

Question 7

Prague's Dancing House is designed to evoke
A) Renaissance palaces.
B) the city's totalitarian past.
C) a distorted mirror image of its neighbor.
D) the work of Robert Venturi.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Prague's Dancing House is designed to evoke
A)...

Question 8

Which artist moves deftly between abstraction and photography-based representational painting?
A) Gerhard Richter
B) Louise Lawler
C) Pat Steir
D) Takashi Murakami

Accepted Answer

Gerhard Richter is known for his ability to move between abstract and representational painting, often incorporating photography as a starting point for his compositions.

Question 9

Deconstruction is typical of postmodernism in its
A) determination of a reader's response to a work.
B) analysis of individual words.
C) inherently cross-cultural approach to criticism.
D) exposure of the possibilities of meaning.

Accepted Answer

Deconstruction is a postmodernist approach to literary criticism that aims to expose the multiple and contradictory possibilities of meaning in a text. It does not focus on determining a reader's response, analyzing individual words, or inherently cross-cultural approach to criticism. Instead, deconstruction seeks to highlight the ways in which language and meaning are fluid and contextual, often challenging traditional interpretations of a text.

Question 10

According to Robert Venturi,Las Vegas is the model for postmodern urban form because its structures
A) are not homogenous.
B) are of a grand scale.
C) are arranged chaotically.
D) reflect multiple cultures.

Accepted Answer

Venturi argued that Las Vegas exemplifies postmodern urban form because its structures are not homogenous, showcasing a mix of styles and functions.

Question 11

Chaos theory has been applied to medical research in
A) the manufacture of antibiotics
B) understanding DNA sequences
C) predicting the spread of viruses
D) decreasing infant mortality

Accepted Answer

The answer of Chaos theory has been applied to medical...

Question 12

In his "Gentle Manifesto," architect Robert Venturi defines the postmodern aesthetic as one of
A) clean and simple geometries.
B) harmony with its surroundings.
C) difficult unity of inclusion.
D) docile space for modern people.

Accepted Answer

In his "Gentle Manifesto," Robert Venturi defines postmodernism as an aesthetic that embraces diversity, complexity, and contradiction. He states that it is a difficult unity of inclusion because it seeks to include a range of styles, ideas, and cultural references, without flattening or simplifying them into a singular, homogenous whole. This approach contrasts with modernism, which aimed to simplify and streamline design in order to create a universal language of form.

Question 13

How does Renzo Piano's Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Center in New Caledonia qualify as "green architecture"?
A) Ten pavilions function as wind scoops, cooling the interior.
B) Open, unfinished pavilions collect rainwater.
C) The open center is used for cultivating bamboo for construction.
D) Its southern orientation provides passive solar heating.

Accepted Answer

The Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Center by Renzo Piano uses ten pavilions designed to function as wind scoops, which naturally cool the interior spaces, showcasing an innovative approach to sustainable, climate-responsive design.

Question 14

Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao,Spain can be defined as postmodern because of its
A) outer elements covered in metal.
B) enormous and expansive size.
C) discontinuity with the town and countryside.
D) playful resemblance to a ship in full sail.

Accepted Answer

Postmodern architecture often features a break from traditional forms and contexts, and Gehry's design contrasts sharply with its surroundings, embodying this discontinuity.

Question 15

The Chinese government deemed Zhang Hongtu's painting Bird's Nest,in the Style of Cubism unfit for the Olympic Games,with the reason given being that it
A) included too many English words.
B) was derivative of European Cubism.
C) inappropriate due to its muted palette.
D) mocked traditional Chinese superstitions.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Chinese government deemed Zhang Hongtu's painting...

Question 16

How does Beijing's Olympic Stadium-the Bird's Nest-qualify as "green architecture"?
A) The outer frame is built of renewable bamboo.
B) Its translucent roof provides passive ventilation.
C) The roof's solar panels light the stadium.
D) A natural grass floor helps to purify the air.

Accepted Answer

The Bird's Nest stadium qualifies as "green architecture" because its translucent roof provides passive ventilation, reducing the need for artificial cooling and heating.

Question 17

In Thomas Pynchon's novel V.,protagonist Herbert Stencil can never fulfill his quest for the mysterious V.,who
A) died in Italy during World War II.
B) is not a person, but an unreachable vanishing point.
C) moved to Africa and changed her name.
D) was a figment of his father's imagination.

Accepted Answer

Throughout the novel, it becomes clear that V. is not a specific person or entity but a mysterious concept or idea that is constantly vanishing and unreachable. Stencil's obsessive quest for V. never truly leads him to a definitive answer or conclusion, as V. remains elusive and ever-changing.

Question 18

Benoit Mandelbrot disdained traditional Euclidian geometry for its
A) inability to account for variations in starting points.
B) Inability to describe irregularly shaped forms.
C) lack of inclusion of color as a component of order.
D) great focus on finite patterns.

Accepted Answer

Mandelbrot was known for developing fractal geometry, which accounted for irregularly shaped forms that were not describable by Euclidian geometry.

Question 19

A hallmark of postmodern architecture is the
A) utilization of all available space.
B) incorporation of elements of technology.
C) harmony with a site's natural elements.
D) use of many different elements of design.

Accepted Answer

Postmodern architecture is characterized by the use of many different elements of design, often in an eclectic and playful manner. This can include references to historical styles, the use of bright colors, and the deliberate mixing of forms and materials. Utilizing all available space or incorporating elements of technology are not necessarily hallmarks of postmodern architecture. While harmony with natural elements may be a consideration, it is not a defining characteristic.

Question 20

What is one of the primary theoretical principles of postmodern thought?
A) Works contain a plurality of meanings.
B) Meaning resides in the creator's intent.
C) Meaning takes a backseat to creation.
D) Meaning is relative to context.

Accepted Answer

Postmodern thought often emphasizes that works contain a plurality of meanings, rejecting the idea of a single, fixed interpretation.

Quiz 40: Without Boundaries: Multiple Meanings in a Postmodern World

In his graffiti-inspired Charles the First,Jean-Michel Basquiat includes a crown to

In his poem "If We Get It," David Antin leaves meaning open to interpretation by

Frank Gehry used industrial materials such as corrugated metal and concrete blocks to surround his house to

In literature,the postmodern hero differ from his or her predecessors by

Zhang Huan invited 40 Chinese peasants to be photographed standing in a pond in an effort to

Santiago Calatrava designed the Port Authority Trans Hudson station at the World Trade Center site to resemble a

Prague's Dancing House is designed to evoke

Which artist moves deftly between abstraction and photography-based representational painting?

Deconstruction is typical of postmodernism in its

According to Robert Venturi,Las Vegas is the model for postmodern urban form because its structures

Chaos theory has been applied to medical research in

In his "Gentle Manifesto," architect Robert Venturi defines the postmodern aesthetic as one of

How does Renzo Piano's Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Center in New Caledonia qualify as "green architecture"?

Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao,Spain can be defined as postmodern because of its

The Chinese government deemed Zhang Hongtu's painting Bird's Nest,in the Style of Cubism unfit for the Olympic Games,with the reason given being that it

How does Beijing's Olympic Stadium-the Bird's Nest-qualify as "green architecture"?

In Thomas Pynchon's novel V.,protagonist Herbert Stencil can never fulfill his quest for the mysterious V.,who

Benoit Mandelbrot disdained traditional Euclidian geometry for its

A hallmark of postmodern architecture is the

What is one of the primary theoretical principles of postmodern thought?