MIT Press Publishes Two-Volume Study on Central European Avant-Gardes (1910-1930)

In 2002, MIT Press published two volumes edited by Timothy O. Benson and Éva Forgács that delve into the Central European avant-garde movement spanning 1910 to 1930. The first volume, titled "Central-European Avant-Gardes. Exchange and Transformation," arose from an exhibition curated by Benson at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and includes essays and reproductions from fourteen cities, such as Berlin and Bucharest. The second volume, "Between Worlds: A Sourcebook of Central European Avant-Gardes," offers theoretical statements and manifestos in English, though it faces criticism regarding its coherence. Notable figures discussed include Tristan Tzara, Raoul Hausmann, and Vladimir Tatlin, with the work addressing historical obscurity linked to political and linguistic challenges, akin to "Primary Documents" edited by Laura Hoptman and Tomas Pospiszyl.