2. What are the “vanguards”?
• The term “vanguard” comes from the french
expression avant-garde, a military term that refers to
the front of the army, the ones who are part of the
first line of the squad. The avant-garde are the first to
advance when exploring or in battle.
• In art, we refer to “vanguards” to a series of historical
movements that took place in the beginning of the
20th century. These movements searched for
innovation in artistic production and creation. These
artists were radical in form and in content; they
explored the relationship between art and life; and
tried to re-invent art by confronting it to previous
movements.