1. Artistic or cultural movements or works that are innovative and experimental, challenging traditional norms and conventions.
This includes:
* Pushing boundaries: Exploring new forms, techniques, ideas, and subject matter.
* Seeking originality: Aiming to be unique and distinct from established practices.
* Embracing the future: Often reflecting contemporary social and political concerns and anticipating future developments.
Examples:
* Art: Cubism, Dadaism, Surrealism, Minimalism, Conceptual Art
* Music: Impressionism, Expressionism, Serialism, Minimalism, Electronic Music
* Literature: Modernism, Postmodernism, Beat Generation
* Film: Surrealism, Expressionism, New Wave, Independent Cinema
2. The people or groups associated with such movements.
This can include:
* Artists, writers, composers, filmmakers, and other creative individuals.
* Groups or institutions supporting avant-garde ideas.
3. In a broader sense, any group or individual who is ahead of their time and promotes new and unconventional ideas.
Key Characteristics:
* Innovation and Experimentation: A willingness to break from tradition and explore new possibilities.
* Challenge to Existing Norms: Questioning conventional ideas and established structures.
* Conceptual Depth: Often concerned with ideas and intellectual concepts rather than just aesthetic beauty.
* Social and Political Engagement: Often reflecting on the contemporary world and challenging societal issues.
* Elitism and Difficulty: Avant-garde art can be difficult to understand or appreciate, and it often appeals to a select audience.
Note: The term "avant-garde" is often used in a historical context to refer to specific movements, but it can also be applied to contemporary art and culture.