High Culture/Low Culture - Defining the Avant-Garde

High Culture/Low Culture - Defining the Avant-Garde

Objectives:-

• understand the term 'avant-garde'
• question the way art/design education relies on the concept of the 'avant-garde'
• understand the related concept of art for arts sake
• question the notion of genius
• consider the political perspectives relating to the avant gardism
• question the validity of the concept 'avant-garde' today.

Definition

1.Being avant-garde in thé work you do - challenging innovating etc.

2.Being part of a group - being a member of the avant-garde

• Marcel duchamp , Mona lisa - defaced - L.H.O.O.Q
• 'Fauves' Wild Beasts

LCAD quotes prioritise certain concepts:

Innovation

Experimentation

Originality

Creative Genius

• Painting of a poet called Chaterton. shows e.g of the myths , he was 19 he couldn't sell any work he was starving he ripped up his poetry and killed him self.

• The notion of avant-garde relies on that myth. The term Avant-garde from the french means the advancing garde. Theres a notion that the Avant grades and elite paving away for the rest to follow.

Art for Arts sake - Whistler Nocturne in black and gold: The falling Rocket (1875)

End of the 19th/early 20th C

Two approaches to avant-garde art

1. Art that is socially committed (artists being the 'avant-garde' of society, pushing forward political objectives
2. Art that seeks only to expand / progress what art is ( in itself and for itself art for arts sake.

Significant form

The relations and combinations of lines and colours which when organised give the power to move someone aesthetically.

• Cezanne Mount st.Victoire 1900
• Polluck - Lavender Mist

A major problem for the avant-garde is that it seems to necessitate' Elitism' So for those members of the 'left wing' [interested in social change] there was a tendency to have to rely on academic.

What is Kitsch?

• Constable haywain 1821 ( not kitsh)
• Duer praying hands (1508)
• Simplification of style-repainted master pieces for the modern eye.
• animal themes this is true kitsch as it aims to be taken serious.
• Jeff Koons - Michael Jackson & Bubbles the Monkey(1988)

Why is this art?

• Carl Andre 'equivalent VIII'
• K-foundation award 1994

Damien hirst - 2007 'For the love of god'