Anarchy and Art: From the Paris Commune to the Fall of the Berlin Wall

by Allan Antliff

One of the powers of art is its ability to convey the human aspects of political events. In this fascinating survey on art, artists, and anarchism, Allan Antliff interrogates critical moments when anarchist artists have confronted pivotal events over the past 140 years. The survey begins with Gustave Courbet’s activism during the 1871 Paris Commune (which established the French republic) and ends with anarchist art during the fall of the Soviet empire. Other subjects include the French neoimpressionists, the Dada movement in New York, anarchist art during the Russian Revolution, political art of the 1960s, and gay art and politics post-World War II. Throughout, Antliff vividly explores art’s potential as a vehicle for social change and how it can also shape the course of political events, both historic and present-day; it is a book for the politically engaged and art aficionados alike. Allan Antliff is the author of Anarchist Modernism.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, History, Politics

224 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2006

Reviews

[Mira · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book about the interconnections of art and social disruption/communal anarchy. Not exactly a time line of the history of anarchy and art (the chapters obviously follow high points in the relationship between art and politics and most recognised events like the Provos sit-ins in Amsterdam and New York college protests during the Vietnem War) but a good survey of it all.
Also exposes a little of the intrigue and hostility between artists that considered themselves communal anarchists and those that appeared to be hardcore anarchists/radicals but eventually "sold out" on one way or another to promote their art. Cant escape contradiction, it seems!!
Best part of the book is a direct interview with Susan Bietila (activist artist) and Robert Duncan (who tried to stem the wave of capitalist interest in radical art/lifestyle by the bourgeois and culture collecting tendencies and showed disdain for divisive categorisation of anarchist/radical culture).

[M-R-N-D-R · Rating 5 out of 5]

okay, SERIOUSLY amazing book! starts in mid-1800s, covers impressionists, shows just how many artists were tied to anarchist movements (like Seurat and Pissarro?!), and has some seriously rad anti-communist critique. ROCK, really cool, mindblowing artists through the book, and the analysis draws in a lot of philosophy without the least trace of pretension. another fast read

[Benjamin Fasching-Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned a lot! I didn't know anything about art during the Paris Commune and I was only vaguely aware that the Neo-Impressionists were anarchists. Even with the 20th Century artists and movements included here, like Dada and the Russian Avant-Garde, SDS and World War II artist Susan Simensky Bietila, and Crass, this book taught me more and made me want to dig deeper. I had never heard of the gay anarchist 1950s poets who get a whole chapter, and I didn't know about the cover artist Richard Mock either. It is also encouraging to think that making art can be a vital, crucial part of the struggle, not just as propaganda but as a method of opening our own minds to an ever more liberatory culture.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

chapter 8 is by far the most interesting one (for someone who has more experience in activism than art)

[Leah Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

A look into the political art of anarchists in response to events in world history. Thought-provoking read and a good source of references for further study.

[Alicia]

Fun read, outside of my usually scope of leftist (Marxist) readings. My favorite chapter was the interview with Susan Bietila.