ebooks Aeschylus II: The Oresteia (The Complete Greek Tragedies) by Aeschylus in Arts-Photography

Review

1 of 6 people found the following review helpful. There isnt any critical thought aspect.By ArtemisThere isnt any critical thought in it. Only the history of the avant-garde movements. I was disappointed. Doesnt worth its money.6 of 7 people found the following review helpful. CONCISE AND DEEPBy Yehezkel DrorThe book mentions in chapter 4 uses of the term "avant-garde" in revolutionary movements; such as by Lenin; but is devoted to avant-garde in art. I think this should have been made clear in the title. But this "cosmetic" imperfection in no way blights its substantive qualities; including an unusual combination of being both concise and deep. The book is an outstanding short introduction to the avant-garde in art; discussing its evolution as a movement and an idea (I would say "ideology") within changing cultural; economic and political contexts.Especially striking is the analysis of the tensions between cooption and institutionalization within dominant cultures on one hand and avant-gardism as iconoclastic and revolutionary at its core on the other. Related is the conflict; also well discussed within the space constraints; between "art for its own sake" versus art as a branch of social architecture; in line with the view of Henri de Saint-Simon that society should be led by a triumvirate of artists; scientists and industrialists; with artists being the "avant-garde" providing "imagination" (p. 22). However this is not a frontal conflict between "authoritarianism and libertarianism" as claimed by the author; when approvingly quoting the cultural historian Matei Calinesco (p. 23). Thus; a democratic society may well mobilize willing artists to enlighten the public via artistic creations on major issues; such as environmental dangers; without interfering with the creative freedom of art and artists as a whole.The book mentions internet art (pp. 115-6). But; being published in 2013; more attention might well have been devoted to avant-gardism in the expanding cyber-sphere. Thus; it provides a radically different "media" and "canvas" for all forms of art and enables novel clustering of a new generation of diverse avant-gardes. Also deserving attention are new instruments for creating novel forms of art; such as computers programmed by artists of a new genre to compose "avant-garde" music.However; as it is this book is highly recommended. If I may add a personal reaction; it whetted my appetite to read more on art avant-gardes; to supplement my interest in political and social avant-gardes while also enjoyably reducing my ignorance in the history of art.Professor Yehezkel DrorThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem2 of 13 people found the following review helpful. A Marxist In Sheeps ClothingBy W. WeaverThe errors in this book are subtle and of sinister design; therefore dangerous; so I felt compelled to add my two cents. I was after factual information about the development of "the avant-garde;" for which the book is quite useful; but then again; similar information is contained in Wikipedia. This author is (as the title of this review clearly states) a Marxist in sheeps clothing; and he would like you to believe; for example; that the progression of Communism was arrested by Stalin; rather than (the obvious answer) that Stalin was that sad philosophys natural consequence. Most notably; and sharing a similarity with Adorno; this author has a perverse notion of poetry; and would like to claim that "Shelleys idealism" has some connection with a "Russian revolution [that] gave artists the chance to play the role . . . of being the unacknowledged legislators of the world[.]" He should understand that Shelley most likely was getting at the ultimate quality of poetry; expressed so well by Robert Graves in his work The White Goddess; which correctly understands that poets (at least insofar as they should be understood within the tradition) make social reality; or civilization; and not that poetry wants anything to do with "revolution" in the conventional sense of that word. Still; if you would like a brief overview of the various trends; a quick and easy means to that end. Nevertheless; I hope the young and easily misled consult other sources before jumping to any conclusions about theory; history; or life for that matter.