Aiste Bukauskaite Andreas Rooney

Irene Lozano-Villaseñor Andrea Morante

Roberta Mackeciviute

Culture in the United Kingdom in the 2nd half

of 20th Century

Unsatisfied soldiers = mistrust in the current government (the Conservative Party) = new government with the Labour Party

Changes made by the Labour Party: Improve the standards of living

Move to mixed economy

Maintain the Army

Introduce National Health Service

The Bloody Sunday

1972, 30th January

Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association

(NICRA) led a non-violent campaign

The marchers were attacked by the Royal Ulster

Constabulary (RUC)

13 protesters were shot dead, the 14th victim died

later after being injured during the march

Post-War Literature

Move from Modernism to

Postmodernism

▪ James Joyce and Virginia Woolf

▪ The Rational versus The Emotional

▪ Extreme self-reflexion

Transition Authors

William Golding ▪ Metaphorical Social Commentary

▪ “Lord of the Flies”

▪ Cruelty of Human Beings

George Orwell ▪ Dystopian Political Commentary

▪ Arbitrary Social Constructs

▪ Subjectivity

The Royal Shakespeare

Company

• Scenic arts’ competition with the rise

of television and cinema.

• In 1960, Peter Hall forms modern

Royal Shakespeare Company; the most

famous drama company up until today.

• Importance in educational and

community projects.

• While specializing in plays written by

William Shakespeare, the company

also produces other works by

Renaissance play writers as well as

contemporary ones.

Young British Artists

• British art in the 1970s and in the 1980s survived serious cutbacks in public funding.

• The contemporary art was not so much appreciated in Britain, making many artists

to emigrate.

• The economic recession for the art market in the 1989 made matters even worse.

• Uncertain economic situation, indifference to contemporary art united a group of art

students called Young British Artists (YBAs).

• YBAs’ challenging art concepts and unusual materials made them famous. Their first

exhibition: Freeze

Damien

Hirst

• The leading figure of

Young British Artists

• A controversial figure,

named “the bad boy” of

modern British art.

• The richest living artist.

Historical Context

Old and New Trends

Pop-Art

Historical Context

Old and New Trends

Pop-Art

Post WW2 Period:

Stirrings of Freedom

New inventions, such as the radio

More liberal Britain

The Beatles: Positive, peaceful

music

Voiced the thoughts of the nation

Very influential

The Rolling Stones:

Opposite of The Beatles

Symbol of rebellion

Below is an excerpt from the song “Revolution” by the Beatles.

“You say you want a revolution Well, you know We all want to change the world You tell me that it's evolution Well, you know We all want to change the world But when you talk about destruction Don't you know that you can count me out Don't you know it's gonna be all right all right, all right You say you'll change the constitution

Well, you know

We all want to change your

head

You tell me it's the institution

Well, you know

You better free you mind

instead

But if you go carrying pictures

of chairman Mao

You ain't going to make it with

anyone anyhow

Don't you know it's gonna be all

right

all right, all right

all right, all right, all right

all right, all right, all right”

Below is an excerpt from the song “Street Fightin’ Man” by

The Rolling Stones

“Ev'rywhere I hear the sound of marching, charging feet, boy

'Cause summer's here and the time is right for fighting in the

street, boy….

“Hey! Said my name is called disturbance

I'll shout and scream, I'll kill the king, I'll rail at all his

servants

Well, what can a poor boy do

Except to sing for a rock 'n' roll band

'Cause in sleepy London town…”

Disillusionment

From All Social Classes

Inability to Fit in to Contemporary British Life

Anger at Britain's Post-War Apathy

Relinquished Colonies

Church and Aristocracy

New National Identity

Archetypical for its Genre

Shocking Dialogue

Alienation From Society

Class Conflict

Similar Themes

Rock

Punk

• Fashion of the United Kingdom in the 20th century was influenced

by developing cross-culturalism.

• Various designs, styles and materials were more accessible from all

over the world.

• From 1960s designers put more attention to young people’s tastes and needs instead

of pleasing only mature and rich elite as before.

• During that time secondhand, modified or homemade clothes were an expression of

personality.

• The greatest innovation of the decade was the miniskirt, designed for an “ideal” and

skinny girl.

1950s 1960s

• Hippies were an important movement in the 60s, which

introduced a different lifestyle and a point of view to

politics while trying to create a utopian society.

• Going against commercialism they wore secondhand

clothes, usually very colorful to express happiness,

freedom, and peace.

1980s

• Leggings, oversized sweaters and shirts , sneakers were the favorite casual look.

• Singers, movie stars had a huge influence on fashion.

• Power dressing: suits and

shoulder pads made woman’s

silhouette look more like

man’s: shoulders broader and

hips narrower.

• Women wanted to show that

they are equal to men and can

compete with them in business

world.

1990s

• Most of the people lost

their interest in

fashion because of

world wars.

• It became usual to

work at home so there

was no need for

dressing up.

• Many teenage girls

copied celebrities,

especially Spice

Girls who were

called icons of the

90s.