Art and Gender: Metamodern Fluidity

​Art history is interwoven with fixed gender roles and binary notions that have long influenced artistic production and reception. Traditional gender roles and binary frameworks served as normative boundaries that determined who was recognized as an artist and which subjects or styles were deemed legitimate. Yet, in the dynamic landscape of contemporary art, a new paradigm has emerged—known as metamodernism. This movement, which has gained prominence since the early 2000s, is characterized by an eclectic and often paradoxical engagement with aesthetic and conceptual traditions. With the rise of metamodernism, we are witnessing a phase in which the rigid dichotomy of gender and identity is breaking down, making way for a more fluid understanding. This development opens new horizons for both artists and art criticism.

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Metamodernism, a concept that arose after postmodernism, is defined by its openness and multiplicity. It merges elements of modern and postmodern thinking to form a worldview that does not merely acknowledge ambivalence and contradiction but actively embraces them. In metamodern thought, gender is increasingly understood as a fluid and flexible spectrum rather than a binary system. This allows for broader acceptance of non-binary and genderqueer identities, granting individuals greater freedom to express their gender in ways that feel authentic. Moreover, metamodernism emphasizes intersectionality—the understanding that gender identity does not exist in isolation, but interacts with other social categories such as race, class, sexuality, and ability. This awareness fosters a more holistic view of identity and discrimination, which is deeply rooted in metamodern art.

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These fluid gender concepts are manifested in contemporary art in diverse ways. Artists experiment with identity, the body, and self-perception, using their work as a platform to deconstruct traditional gender roles and explore new, hybrid identities. Within metamodern art, FLINTA* individuals (women, lesbians, intersex, non-binary, trans, and agender persons) play a central role in shaping and transforming the contemporary art scene. FLINTA* artists are often pioneers in exploring and representing gender fluidity, as their own lived experiences transcend and challenge traditional gender boundaries. Their works offer unique perspectives on identity, the body, and social norms, and are essential for understanding the diversity and complexity of human experience in the metamodern era. The portrayal of the inner worlds and aesthetics of trans and gender-nonconforming individuals in metamodern art generates complex discussions deeply intertwined with art theory and philosophy. These works not only depict individual experiences but also represent a radical reimagining of identity and corporeality that pushes beyond traditional artistic expression.

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In metamodernism, the body is often understood as a site of continuous transformation—marking a philosophical shift from perceiving the body as a static object to acknowledging it as a dynamic subject. Artists engaging with gender-nonconforming identities use the body as a medium to visualize the complexity of gender, employing aesthetic strategies aimed at deconstructing form and structure. Through fragmentation, layering, and hybridization, they dissolve the notion of a coherent, normative body image. These artistic practices resonate with poststructuralist theories, especially those of Jacques Derrida and Hélène Cixous, who emphasized the instability of signs and meaning. Derrida’s deconstruction questioned the idea of fixed meaning, highlighting perpetual deferral and reinterpretation—an idea that echoes in metamodern art’s fluid representations of gender and identity.

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The aesthetics expressed in such works resist clear categorization and create spaces where the “uncanny” (Sigmund Freud) and the “abject” (Julia Kristeva) play central roles. The discomfort associated with dismantling binary gender structures is not merely depicted but harnessed as a productive force. The artworks act as “disturbance fields” that destabilize familiar visual vocabularies, prompting viewers to reflect on the boundaries between self and other. This strategy fosters a new way of seeing, one that can question and transform deeply rooted social norms.

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A crucial aspect of this aesthetic is the performativity of the body. Judith Butler’s concept of performativity—which posits that gender is constructed through repeated acts rather than biological essence—finds a powerful artistic parallel here. FLINTA* artists employ performative practices to stage the fluidity of gender. These performances are often processual, evolving over time and space, breaking from the notion of the art object as static or complete. Instead, they produce open-ended works embodying metamodernism’s stance of “both/and” rather than “either/or.”

Another key dimension is the critique of the gaze—discussed in art theory as the “male gaze.” Coined by film theorist Laura Mulvey, the term describes the dominant male perspective that positions women as passive objects of male desire. Trans and gender-nonconforming artworks interrogate the power structures inherent in this gaze and create alternative visual experiences that honor non-normative identities. These works offer a deconstructive reading of gender and embodiment by reflecting the gaze back upon the viewer, destabilizing hierarchies between subject and object, seer and seen. Philosophically, such art contributes to the discourse of “becoming,” a concept central to metamodernism and shaped by thinkers like Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari. In their philosophy, the body is conceived not as a fixed entity but as a “Body without Organs” (BwO)—an open, unstructured field of potential. This idea finds visual expression in the works of trans and gender-nonconforming artists, whose creations manifest ongoing processes of becoming, renegotiating identity, body, and subjectivity.

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The concept of metamodern fluidity in relation to gender extends beyond individual artistic practice. It influences institutional structures and modes of exhibition and reception. Museums and galleries are beginning to diversify their programs, offering platforms for artists who challenge traditional gender roles. This shift is reflected in exhibitions that not only feature genderqueer artists but also reimagine curatorial practices.

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In my own exhibition Metamodern Grotesque, held at the House of the German East, I explored the grotesque across various cultural epochs. With a modern, at times ironic, approach to the strange forms and figures of Western culture, I confronted the fractures and ambiguities central to metamodern discourse. The aim was to view the grotesque not merely as a historical category, but as a living, adaptable aesthetic that continually transforms in response to shifting social and cultural contexts.

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In addition, the library of the House of the German East presents two significant catalogues addressing questions of gender identity. The first, Transrocchetto, examines the societal violence and power exerted upon transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals, exploring both moral and physical torment as well as the ongoing experiments inflicted upon these communities. This collection sheds light on the deep, often painful experiences tied to non-binary identities and urges viewers to confront the real consequences of gender-based discrimination. The second collection, Prediction 000, comprises more than a hundred non-binary figures generated by an artificial neural network. This body of work mirrors the chaotic, undefined, and often violent nature of the non-binary, ambivalent metamodern world, while also revealing the profound depth, sensuality, and sincerity behind the effort to feel truth without fully grasping it. It aligns closely with metamodern philosophy, which refuses rigid definitions and celebrates the complexity of human experience.

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The future of art and gender is fluid, diverse, and full of possibility. In this metamodern age, the power lies in openness to change and in acknowledging the infinite facets of human identity. Metamodern fluidity challenges us to move beyond binary modes of thought and embrace the multiplicity of human experience. In art, this movement becomes visible in works that transcend gender boundaries and promote a new, inclusive vision. It invites us to understand gender not as a fixed category, but as a dynamic, ever-evolving process. This transformation within the art world is more than a trend—it mirrors the evolution of society itself. By embracing the fluid concepts of metamodernism, artists and cultural institutions contribute to a world where diversity is not merely accepted but celebrated. This is the true power of art in the metamodern era: it grants us the ability to rethink ourselves and our world—free from the constraints of binary limitation.

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Alfred Stoll, August 2024

This text is an English translation of the original German publication featured in the HDO Journal, Special Issue 2024 “Pioneers, Visionaries, Fighters from Eastern Europe.” This publication appears with the permission of the House of the German East (HDO), Munich.

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