High Culture/Low Culture

"Avant-garde is a term is used in English as a noun or adjective to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics. Avant-garde represents a pushing of the boundaries of what is accepted as the norm or the status quo, primarily in the cultural realm. The notion of the existence of the avant-garde is considered by some to be a hallmark of modernism, as distinct from postmodernism. Many artists have aligned themselves with the avant-garde movement and still continue to do so, tracing a history from Dada through the Situationists to postmodern artists such as the Language poets around 1981". Wikipedia 

To be avante garde means you basically push the limits of what is considered traditional, usually in the fields of politics, art or music.  In French it means "vanguard" or "advance guard". A perfect example of a modern avante garde piece of art by Damien Hirst and it is title 'For the Love of God'.  It consists of a platinum cast of a human skull encrusted with 8,601 flawless diamonds, costing £14million to make and £50million to sell.

Kitsch is something of cheap or poor quality design, appearance, or content created to appeal to popular taste. Something that fails to have the qualities of true art. Repainted masterpieces are examples of Kitsch. Below is an example of kitsch art

Notes written during the lecture