Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1998 17:06:06 -0400 (EDT) From: malgosia askanas <ma-AT-panix.com> Subject: Re: Avant-Garde ??? > Here we have two different models of the Vanguard -- one as permanent > opposition (nihlist) and the other as the shock troops of the humanist > social revolution ( the avant garde). Both in the long run serve the same > function -- that is both are labortories for the intergration of new forms > and ideas and the dismantling of older no longer effective ones. The > difference is the permanent opposition fulfills its task in a reactive > manner and the later is premised on an idealised vision of human freedom > and creativity. Personally I prefer the latter to the former only because > I tend to believe in re-evaluation rather than devaluation. Saul, these are such large sweeps of language: nihilism, humanist social revolution, the long run, idealism. But art, as Ann says and as Heiko says (though not in these words) is specific; consequently its resistances -- such as they are -- are also specific. An object here, a performance there, some music elsewhere. People thinking about something they've seen, touching something in front of them, dancing, talking. This all falls through the sieve of these large verbal gestures; nothing gets caught. Or does it? -m --- from list avant-garde-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
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