European Avant-Gardes

Catalog description

This course explores the revolutionary avant-gardes of the early twentieth century that sought to bridge the gap between art and life, as well as their postwar successors. Throughout, we will seek to relate the discourse of artistic, literary, and architectural avant-gardism in all its forms to contemporary social and political histories. Topics to be addressed include: Futurism; the critical avant-gardes of Dada, Constructivism, and Surrealism; the crisis of the European avant-garde in the 1930s under the impact of Fascism and Stalinism; and its reemergence as a form of theoretical and militant praxis in Europe during the 1960s. Fulfills post-1800 requirement for Art History major. Prerequisite: Any 100- or 200-level Art History course, or permission of instructor.