From a Political Genre to the Politics of Genre: The Avant-Garde Manifesto's Inheritance and Variation of the Modern Political Manifesto

Li Li

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art ›› 2025, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (1) : 140-149.

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Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art ›› 2025, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (1) : 140-149.
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From a Political Genre to the Politics of Genre: The Avant-Garde Manifesto's Inheritance and Variation of the Modern Political Manifesto

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Abstract

As a result of application of the earlier political manifesto to the artistic field, the avant-garde manifesto plays a crucial role in breaking through the conservatism of the old system and establishing a political dimension for aesthetic practice in Western avant-garde art. On one hand, it shapes the avant-garde consciousness of artists from the dimension of time and space with a fragmented historical narrative pattern and a multi-role dramatic conflict structure. On the other hand, it calls for immediate action to disrupt the static and closed relationship between artists, recipients and works, revitalizing the connection between art and life. This transformation makes avant-garde art a form of manifesto-driven practice. Overall, the avant-garde manifesto inherits key elements of the modern political manifesto while creating a unique politics of genre, which informs its aesthetic orientation. The inherent contradiction between “the art manifesto” and “the art of the manifesto” becomes emblematic of the dilemma surrounding avant-garde art's attempts at intervention.

Key words

avant-garde manifesto / modern political manifesto / genre / art / politics

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Li Li. From a Political Genre to the Politics of Genre: The Avant-Garde Manifesto's Inheritance and Variation of the Modern Political Manifesto[J]. Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art, 2025, 45(1): 140-149

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Funding

This article is supported by the General Project of National Social Sciences Fund (20BZW023) and the Major Project of National Social Sciences Fund (21&ZD256).
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