Marx and Art (Insolubilia: New Work in Contemporary Philosophy)

This book argues that a renewed consideration of artistic value should both critique contemporary bureaucratic misunderstandings of what art is and address the complexities and questions of contemporary philosophers in new and provocative ways. Writer and poet Ali Alizadeh focusses on the artistic theories of the key Western philosopher of value, Karl Marx. He explores Marx's thoughts on art and literature and provides a new account of his revolutionary view of why we make art and how we understand art's value. By returning to Marx's writings, from his juvenile poetry and earliest journalism to his final publications, Alizadeh proposes a theory which not only challenges many tenets of contemporary Marxist literary or cultural theory, but one which also presents us with a profound, coherent and stimulating theory of art that defines, values and demonstrates artistic practice. By mapping Marx's intellectual development from the ideals of a young Hegelian to the polemics of a seasoned internationalist communist he shows that Marx never lost sight of art as a key aspect of human activity. Contents 9 Acknowledgements 11 Introduction 13 1 Art and Value before Marx 33 2 The Intrinsic Freedom of Writing 49 3 Art, Speculation and Ideology 65 4 Art and the Juggernaut of Capital 83 5 Why We Make Art 101 Conclusion 125 Further Reading 147 Bibliography 149 Index 153 About the Author 161 This Book Advances And Enriches The Debates And Discussions About The Value Of Art. It Offers A Close Reading Of Passages From Marx's Entire Body Of Work And An Engaging And Accessible Narrative Of The Beginnings, Development And Discoveries Of Marx's Thoughts On Art.