ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Olivier Quintyn Revisits the Avant-Garde Concept

publication · 2026-04-24

In the January 2016 issue of artpress (n°429, p. 86), Olivier Quintyn's book "Valences de l'avant-garde" (Questions théoriques) argues that the avant-garde concept remains relevant if we recall its historical goals were external to aesthetics. Quintyn notes that contemporary art's objectives lie beyond aesthetic concerns, suggesting a renewed applicability of the term.

Key facts

  • Book title: Valences de l'avant-garde
  • Author: Olivier Quintyn
  • Publisher: Questions théoriques
  • Reviewed in artpress n°429, January 2016, page 86
  • Quintyn argues avant-garde historical goals were external to aesthetics
  • Contemporary art's aims are also outside aesthetics
  • Concept of avant-garde can still be useful today

Entities

Artists

  • Olivier Quintyn

Institutions

  • artpress
  • Questions théoriques

Sources