Sven Lütticken's 'Art and Autonomy' Reclaims Autonomy's Political Power

Published by Afterall, Sven Lütticken's 'Art and Autonomy: A Critical Reader' confronts the common tendency to regard art's autonomy as an outdated modernist notion. The text posits that autonomy is a vibrant and politically significant idea rather than mere romantic idealism. It features a range of intellectuals, including Theodor W. Adorno, Aimé Césaire, Friedrich Schiller, Andrea Fraser, Peter Bürger, and Elizabeth Povinelli, exploring topics from German Idealism to media theory and political sovereignty. This reader emphasizes autonomy as a concept worthy of critical engagement, providing a vital theoretical foundation while steering discussions into fresh avenues.