Introduction: Neo-Avant-Garde, Why Bother?

The introduction deals with the relevance of the term ‘neo-avant-garde’ for literature. The term is used most typically for experimental art forms from the long sixties (1955-1975), but sometimes extended to present-day pioneering art. The text relates the neo-avant-garde to three other dominant innovations of the twentieth century, namely the historical avant-garde, modernism and postmodernism. First, the introduction looks at influential studies concerning the neo-avant-garde by scholars such as Peter Bürger, Hal Foster, Benjamin Buchloh and Dietrich Scheunemann. It then presents four parameters to define the term neo-avant-garde as it is used in the present volume and it draws attention to the pros and cons of its usage. Finally, the introduction points to the relevance of the neo-avant-garde frame for the study of the various literary traditions that are discussed in this book, especially based on – but not restricted to – American, Austrian, British, Caribbean, Dutch, French and German examples. In this way, the text explores the possible relevance of neo-avant-garde productions for contemporary artists and writers.