Graphic Technology and Modernity. A Proposal to Reevaluate the 20th Century

It is well known that modern and modernity refer to that which is opposed to the old; they refer to the novelty that emerges as an alternative to a status quo. Such novelty determines behaviors that were previously unknown and forces the creation of new scenarios and procedures. It is, therefore, a wager on and for the future. With this general criterion, the present paper reviews the fundamental stages that, since the 15th century, have occurred in the graphic field and have allowed for progress in the knowledge of Western society and culture. In this context, technological advances must be regarded as crucial in providing the tools to progress towards modernity; circumstances and absorption times may vary from place to place, but the significance of technologies remains essentially the same. A critical examination of graphic technology reveals, eventually, a suitable and logical account of the evolution of modernity to our days.