ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Martin Amis's Scorpion Strategy: From Leftist to Neocon

opinion-review · 2026-04-23

A 2007 article in artpress examines Martin Amis's literary trajectory, arguing that his work consistently employs a 'scorpion strategy' of turning back to strike. The piece contends that for Amis, modernity has become synonymous with civil war, reviving specters of religious wars and fratricidal murders. Once a leftist novelist subverting order, Amis is now too easily labeled 'neoconservative.'

Key facts

  • Martin Amis is the subject of the article.
  • The article was published in artpress in April 2007.
  • Amis's technique is described as turning back to strike, a 'scorpion strategy'.
  • He is characterized as having started as a leftist novelist.
  • He is now often classified as 'neoconservative'.
  • The article argues that for Amis, modernity equals civil war.
  • Modernity is said to revive religious wars and fratricidal murders.
  • The article is titled 'Martin Amis, la stratégie du scorpion'.

Entities

Artists

  • Martin Amis

Institutions

  • artpress

Sources