Avant-garde
the advance group in any field, especially in the visual, literary, or musical arts, whose works are characterized chiefly by unorthodox and experimental methods.
of or relating to the experimental treatment of artistic, musical, or literary material.
belonging to the avant-garde:
an avant-garde composer.
unorthodox or daring; radical.
Contemporary Examples
According to Pozdorovkin, they all shared a love of punk rock and avant-garde art.
Sundance’s Best Documentary: ‘Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer’ Marlow Stern January 25, 2013
The fact is that historically, art and sex have long been intertwined, particularly when dealing with the avant-garde.
Andy Warhol’s Artistic Orgy Rachel Wolff June 23, 2010
The Fifty Year Sword By Mark Z. Danielewski A poetic, avant-garde “ghost story for grownups.”
This Week’s Hot Reads: Oct. 7, 2012 Nicholas Mancusi October 6, 2012
His pictures have stronger links to classic paintings, and to the 1960s avant-garde, than to Alfred Stieglitz and Ansel Adams.
Jeff Wall: One of Today’s 10 Most Important Artists Blake Gopnik June 4, 2011
Symbolizing CSM as a “creativity birth place,” 1Granary took an avant-garde approach towards the creation to life.
1Granary: The College Magazine Funded by Comme des Garçons Erin Cunningham October 6, 2013
Some might call it (as was said of her avant-garde Lanvin Oscar get-ups) fashion-person weird.
Hollywood’s Exquisite Alien Amanda Fortini April 29, 2009
Historical Examples
Reading the avant-garde stuff of nowadays, usually the contrast is merely grotesque, still I keep finding parallels.
The Trial of Callista Blake Edgar Pangborn
Unlike elsewhere in Eastern Europe, there has been no experimental or avant-garde theater in Bulgaria.
Area Handbook for Bulgaria Eugene K. Keefe, Violeta D. Baluyut, William Giloane, Anne K. Long, James M. Moore, and Neda A. Walpole
She got possession of the kiln, as usual, and the ass was sent to graze on the green; but Mary was only the avant-garde.
A History of the Gipsies Walter Simson
The avant-garde of 500 regulars and 400 provincials, commanded by Lieut.-Col.
“Evacuation Day”, 1783 James Riker
noun
those artists, writers, musicians, etc, whose techniques and ideas are markedly experimental or in advance of those generally accepted
adjective
of such artists, etc, their ideas, or techniques
radical; daring
n.
(also avant garde, avantgarde); French, literally “advance guard” (see avant + guard (n.)). Used in English 15c.-18c. in a literal, military sense; borrowed again 1910 as an artistic term for “pioneers or innovators of a particular period.” Also used around the same time in communist and anarchist publications. As an adjective, by 1925.
The avant-garde générale, avant-garde stratégique, or avant-garde d’armée is a strong force (one, two, or three army corps) pushed out a day’s march to the front, immediately behind the cavalry screen. Its mission is, vigorously to engage the enemy wherever he is found, and, by binding him, to ensure liberty of action in time and space for the main army. [“Sadowa,” Gen. Henri Bonnal, transl. C.F. Atkinson, 1907]
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the attitudes, techniques, etc., of the cultural avant-garde.
- Avantgarde
the advance group in any field, especially in the visual, literary, or musical arts, whose works are characterized chiefly by unorthodox and experimental methods. of or relating to the experimental treatment of artistic, musical, or literary material. belonging to the avant-garde: an avant-garde composer. unorthodox or daring; radical. noun those artists, writers, musicians, etc, whose […]
- Avanti
Kingdom of, an ancient Aryan kingdom of W central India, with its capital near modern Ujjain; flourished in the 6th–4th centuries b.c. Historical Examples South of Kosala lay the kingdom of the Vamsas, and south of that again the kingdom of Avanti. Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 14, Slice 4 Various That Socialist group which […]
- Avantist
noun short for avant-gardist See avant-gardist
- Avar
a member of a people, probably originating in Asia, who settled in Dacia a.d. c555, later occupied Pannonia, and invaded other parts of central and eastern Europe before their decline in the 9th century. Historical Examples The Avar Chief was dry in his manner to strangers; and who can wonder at it? Dariel R. D. […]