Aesthetics, historicism and political praxis: Gramsci and art

Abstract

The critical refections made by Antonio Gramsci on the feld of aesthetics consitute an important source for the study and interpretation of Art from a militant position of historical materialism. The central problem of Gramsci’s aesthetic theory is linked to his notion of historicity and of the relative autonomy of art. Inspite of its determination by culture, society and history, art is characterized by a “concrete historicity”. The degree of complexity of Gramsci’s approach, the relationship between aesthetic and political critique, and popular art and social transformation are the main themes with which the following discussion deals.

Realidad: Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades No. 148, 2016: 81-96