Art and Its Manifestos - Avant-Garde Art and Resistance

Art manifestos are the most authentic documents in the history of 20th-century art. Therefore, it is futile to revive modernism and the avant-garde without consulting manifestos. They are also considered the keys to contemporary art's subconscious. Furthermore, the power of art manifestos extends beyond art itself, particularly influencing philosophy and politics. One of the inspirations for contemporary critical thought is the stubborn opposition these manifestos waged against modernity. The compilation of Art Manifestos brings together the declarations of avant-garde movements that sought to wrest art and life from the dominion of reason, liberate the imagination, and establish the autonomy of art. It traces the imprints of the hope and resistance promised by the avant-garde in the 20th century at the turn of the century. We grasp the cultural revolution known as modernism primarily through its adaptations of the manifesto form. -Janet Lyon-