Synopses & Reviews
Cultural Writing. Art. One of the powers of art is its ability to convey the human aspects of political events, from war to revolution to sexual liberation. Art can also transform society, a theme that pervades this fascinating survey on art, artists, and anarchism since the nineteenth century. In this book, Allan Antliff interrogates moments of engagement when artists, poets, philosophers, and critics have confronted pivotal events since the nineteenth century. Exploring art's potential as a vehicle for meaningful social change from an anarchist perspective, he throws new light on what it means to be radical. "A very readable book that brings theory and philosophy together with art, music, history, economics, and politics"--Richard J.F. Day. "Using an approach that combines scholarly rigor with a lively and politically-committed voice, Antliff shows how diverse the connections have been between aesthetic innovation and anarchist activism. An indispensable contribution to the history of art and the field of anarchist studies"--Robyn Roslak.
Synopsis
One of the powers of art is its ability to convey the human aspects of political events. In this fascinating survey on art, artists, and anarchism, Allan Antliff interrogates critical moments when anarchist artists have confronted pivotal events over the past 140 years. The survey begins with Gustave Courbetandrsquo;s activism during the 1871 Paris Commune (which established the French republic) and ends with anarchist art during the fall of the Soviet empire. Other subjects include the French neoimpressionists, the Dada movement in New York, anarchist art during the Russian Revolution, political art of the 1960s, and gay art and politics post-World War II. Throughout, Antliff vividly explores artandrsquo;s potential as a vehicle for social change and how it can also shape the course of political events, both historic and present-day; it is a book for the politically engaged and art aficionados alike.
Allan Antliff is the author of Anarchist Modernism.
Synopsis
A fascinating study of anarchist artists confronting pivotal historical moments over the past 140 years.
About the Author
Allan W. Antliff is an anarchist activist, art critic and author who has written extensively on the topics of anarchism and art in North America. Antliff holds the Canada Research Chair in Art History at the University of Victoria, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on modern and contemporary art. His research interests include dada, contemporary art, anarchist history and political theory, and his graduate seminars include "20th-Century Anarchism and Avant-Garde Art"; "New York Dada" and "American Modernism Between the Wars". In addition to teaching art history, Antliff co-edits the Alternative Press Review, serves as art editor for Anarchist Studies, edited the volume Only a Beginning: An Anarchist Anthology (1998) and has written two scholarly books; Anarchist Modernism: Art, Politics and the First American Avant-Garde (2001) and Art and Anarchy: From the Paris Commune to the Fall of the Berlin Wall (2007).