#saniro

Postmodernism is a movement in art and culture that came about as a response to the strict rules and seriousness of modernism. Instead of following one clear style, it mixes different ideas, references, and influences, often in a playful or ironic way. It brings together elements from both high and low culture and doesn’t believe in a single universal truth, but rather embraces diversity and fragmentation. One important idea linked to postmodernism is hyperreality, introduced by Jean Baudrillard, which suggests that in today’s media heavy world, images and representations can sometimes feel more real to us than the actual things they are based on.

I explored how a character like Hangyodon can work as a postmodern symbol. I started with the idea of “soft on the outside, chaos inside,” which reflects how something cute and nostalgic can also carry a more complex and messy meaning. When creating the poster for Hangyodon’s pouch, I treated the character as more than just a mascot, but as something that connects different ideas and references. Hangyodon, originally from the 1980s, has become popular again with Gen Z because people today relate to his awkward, loser personality, especially in expressing modern anxiety. By placing luxury beauty products like Benefit tint and foundation next to this quirky, ugly-cutecharacter, I was mixing very different elements together. This contrast breaks the boundary between expensive adult items and childish nostalgia, creating a playful and relatable aesthetic that focuses more on feeling than logic. I reflected on how modern identity is often a pouch of collected symbols, some nostalgic, some practical, and all contributing to a fragmented, postmodern self that prioritizes emotional resonance over rigid structure.

This research path was heavily influenced by Harajuku’s Decora fashion is a hypervibrant Japanese subculture that emerged in the late 1990s, defined by a "more-is-more" philosophy that prioritizes playful excess and childlike nostalgia. Characterized by a deliberate accumulation of accessories, a Decora outfit typically features layers of colorful plastic hair clips, patterned face bandages, surgical masks, and an abundance of beaded jewelry and character merchandise often featuring icons like Hangyodon or Hello Kitty. Beyond its loud, neon aesthetic, Decora serves as a form of radical self-expression and a rebellion against the minimalist, conformist standards of mainstream Japanese society. It is the ultimate example of postmodern bricolage, where the wearer assembles a fragmented identity from massproduced toys and trinkets, transforming everyday consumer goods into a wearable, chaotic art form that celebrates kawaii as a source of personal empowerment.This helped me realize that our Hangyodon project sits in a fascinating contradiction of consumerism, it both celebrates the joy of buying stuff while simultaneously subverting it by choosing a character that is intentionally imperfect and weird. Unlike the polished perfection of modernism, the Decora-inspired chaos of our research suggests that identity today is built from a collection of fragmented parts. By focusing on the uncanny charm of Hangyodon, we highlighted a key postmodern shift showing the move away from traditional beauty toward a more honest, messy reality where "soft on the outside, chaos inside" is a badge of honor rather than a flaw.

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