Topics in the avant-garde in literature and cinema

Lectures: 1 session / week, 3 hours / session

Examines the terms "avant garde" and "Kulturindustrie" in French and German culture of the early twentieth century. Considering the origins of these concepts in surrealist and dadaist literature, art, and cinema, the course then expands to engage parallel formations across Europe, particularly in the former Soviet Union. Emphasis on the specific historical conditions that enabled these interventions. Guiding questions are these: What was original about the historical avant-garde? What connections between art and revolution did avant-garde writers and artists imagine? What strategies did they deploy to meet their modernist imperatives? To what extent did their projects maintain a critical stance towards the culture industry?

Surveying key interventions in the fields of poetry, painting, sculpture, photography, film, and music, the readings also include signal moments in critical thought of the last century. Figures to be considered are: Adorno, Aragon, Bataille, Beckett, Brecht, Breton, Bürger, Duchamp, Eisenstein, Ernst, Jünger, Greenberg, Kandinsky, Malevich, Mayakovsky, and Tzara. Taught in English, but students are encouraged to consult original sources when possible.

The course will introduce main currents of European cultural history and aesthetic practice. You will be expected to construct arguments of your own about the issues raised. The course places a premium on excellence in communication; papers and oral presentations account for nearly 100% of the final grade. Students are expected to demonstrate progress in critical analysis and expression.

The method of pedagogy is based in three modes: instruction, practice, and feedback. Students are given the fullest opportunity to engage in seminar discussions. Students shall receive constructive commentary on each assignment, and will be asked to revise their work when appropriate.

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