THE INVENTION OF ART. The distinction between art and craftsmanship began with Enlightenment thinkers like Immanuel Kant, who saw art as a pursuit of beauty, separate from utilitarian craft. This idea evolved through Romanticism, emphasizing expression and creativity, and later, Modernist movements that highlighted originality and concept. Thus, the concept of art, as we understand it today, has only been developed over the past 200 years.
The term **avant-garde** comes from the French military term meaning "advance guard" or "vanguard," referring to soldiers sent ahead of the main army to scout or engage the enemy first. In art, it represents artists who are at the forefront of innovation, pushing boundaries and challenging cultural and societal norms. The avant-garde sought to break with tradition, using radical new techniques, styles, and ideas to confront the status quo.
Movements like Dadaism and Surrealism, which emerged in response to the tumultuous political climate of the early 20th century, embodied this spirit of the avant-garde. Similarly, the **monochrome painting movement** of the 20th century, used simplicity to explore fundamental questions of form, color, and meaning. Monochrome art became a form of resistance to traditional representation, encouraging viewers to find depth in apparent simplicity and challenging them to rethink the very nature of art.
Simultaneously, avant-garde art often served as propaganda. Movements like Constructivism were used to promote Soviet ideals, while Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy used art to glorify their ideologies. During the Cold War, Abstract Expressionism was used by the U.S. to symbolize freedom, while Socialist Realism promoted Soviet values. Thus, art has been both a tool for political messaging and creative resistance, balancing between reinforcing and challenging societal and political narratives.
