Final answer:
Postmodernism represents a period post-1950s characterized by skepticism towards universality, emphasizing subjectivity and relativism predominantly in culture and arts, and signifies a shift from Modernist perspectives influenced by societal changes in the late 20th-century.
Step-by-step explanation:
Postmodernism is a concept that challenges the preconceived notions of objectivity and truth in various domains such as culture, literature, art, philosophy, and architecture. The term reflects a period of societal shifts post-1950s, often characterized by a sense of skepticism towards meta-narratives and grand theories, emphasizing the relativity and subjectivity of human experience and understanding. This phase of cultural evolution is marked by a rich variety of art forms that engage with social constructs and question binary classifications, bringing forth a multifaceted, pluralistic view of reality.
In art, Postmodern works have developed since the 1960s, ushering in an era that includes both an extension of Modernist ideas as well as a departure from them. The outcomes have been diverse, ranging from architecture that incorporates playful historic references to literature that experiments with narrative forms. Societal changes in the late 20th-century, such as the rise of consumerism and mass media, have profoundly influenced these artistic expressions, reflecting a world that is increasingly seen as complex, fragmented, and constructed through individual and collective narratives.
Postmodernism frequently serves as a lens through which the late 20th-century society is understood, with relativism being a key component. It has promoted the view that reality is constructed through language and power dynamics, which in turn influence human conceptualizations. Advocates of Postmodern thought argue that as a result, knowledge is inevitably contingent on these constructs, therefore inviting a diverse range of interpretations and understandings.