This essay will discuss the notion of identity and retain focus on the politics of race, gender and sexuality as detailed in postmodern approaches and how identity has become a central issue in relation to postmodernism .Postmodernism is a late 20th century movement in the arts, architecture, and criticism that moved away from modernism. It was an era freed from the past, characterized by a general distrust towards ideologies as well as a rather 'tiring' relationship with what constitutes art. This led to new types of art such as instillation and performance. The conception of identity in art derives from a significant political change. The notion of identity has been expressed in many different ways during postmodernism, for example: gender, sexual and cultural identity. They were all treated differently by different artists. This notion of identity in art arose from identity politics, which was a set of topics during the latter part of the twentieth century, with the intention of empowering those who feel oppressed and giving voice to their oppression felt in terms of one's own experience. This art form was also used to educate the public about the oppression they felt. For example, feminist art dealt with many issues related to how society views women, while art based on the artists' racial identity dealt with the discrimination the artist faced due to her ethnic identity . Works of art that deal with the notion of identity are therefore a postmodern critique of identity, identity politics, and notions of the artist's experience and visibility in the world. Take the work of Barbara Kruger for example. Barbara Kruger is a North American conceptual artist who...... middle of paper ......ve identities to show her personal experience despite the various identities among the audiences viewing the artworks. Whether they sympathized or empathized, there was a measurable reaction to the art of that period that educated the public about the experiences of women, sexual and racial minorities. “In the same period there seems to have been a substantial if not sensational gain in the representation of women and racial and sexual minorities in the making of art and art theory.” -Art in theory: postmodern ideasIdentity issues are crucial for postmodernism as they were the basis for some of the most famous and controversial works of that period. Although a limited number of examples are shown here, they have successfully commented on the theme of identity and how it has become an important common denominator in the world of 'art.