Abstract
ABSTRACT One aspect of modernity, from the French Revolution on, has been the drive toward a utopian future. This has been apparent in artists as well as conscious political revolutionaries or philosophers like Marx. Like his avant-garde contemporaries, Bernard Shaw was not content to turn away from the masses and make works of art for the contemplation of a select minority. He wished to create works of art that might have a place in forging the “new man,” a major trope of the period and of special importance not only to Shaw but also to the avant-garde. Both Shaw and the avant-garde wanted to create original works of art, of course, but they were actually more concerned with giving form to the chaotic, inchoate modern world itself, a time of anxiety but also of excitement and promise. They were cultural politicians, scientists in the laboratory of life hoping to make a new man with the revolutionary artistic techniques fashioned out of their own genius. This essay explores what the author refers to as Shaw's utopian modernism, particularly as it merged in his politics and in his artistic creation, and compares it to the utopian modernism and politics of the avant-garde, most particularly the Italian futurists and the Russian constructivists.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.