An analysis of our postmodern condition. The dissolution of formerly stable and (at least seemingly) authoritative social and political institutions in today’s world has led to an unprecedented sense of anxiety, uncertainty, and shifting ground. In this context liberty of the individual has emerged as a defining value, but this pursuit can paradoxically lead to ever-increasing instability and tension. See in particular the chapters where Bauman directly considers art within this frame: chapter 7 ‘Postmodern Art, of the Impossibility of the Avant-Garde’ and chapter 8 ‘The Meaning of Art and the Art of Meaning.’