The Sovereign Self: Aesthetic Autonomy from the Enlightenment to the Avant-Garde

Grant H. Kester's book "The Sovereign Self" explores the idea of aesthetic autonomy from its origins in the Enlightenment to avant-garde projects and movements in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. He critiques the use of aesthetic autonomy as the basis for understanding art and the shifting relationship between art and revolutionary praxis, demonstrating that dominant discourses of autonomy reproduce the very forms of bourgeois liberalism that it seeks to challenge. Kester retheorizes the aesthetic beyond autonomy and shows that the question of aesthetic autonomy has ramifications for political transformation and forms of anticolonial resistance.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 280 pages
Publication date: 10 October 2023
Publisher: Duke University Press

In his groundbreaking work, "The Sovereign Self," Grant H. Kester delves into the intricate and evolving discourse of aesthetic autonomy, tracing its roots from the Enlightenment to avant-garde projects and movements across the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Kester explores the concept of aesthetic autonomy, which holds that art should be independent of social forces while still retaining the capacity to critically reflect on society. He examines the ideas of influential thinkers such as Kant, Schiller, Hegel, Marx, and Adorno, unraveling the threads that connect their perspectives on art and its role in shaping society.

However, Kester's critique of aesthetic autonomy goes beyond its mere examination. He challenges the notion that aesthetic autonomy can be used as the sole basis for understanding the nature of art and the evolving relationship between art and revolutionary praxis. He argues that dominant discourses of aesthetic autonomy often reproduce the very forms of bourgeois liberalism that they seek to challenge. By analyzing avant-garde art and political movements in Russia, India, Latin America, and other regions, Kester reimagines the aesthetic beyond autonomy. He demonstrates that the question of aesthetic autonomy has profound implications that extend beyond the realm of art to encompass the nature of political transformation and forms of anticolonial resistance that challenge the Eurocentric concept of "Man," upon which the aesthetic itself often depends.

Through his comprehensive analysis, Kester offers a fresh perspective on the complex relationship between art, society, and political power. He challenges readers to think critically about the ways in which aesthetic autonomy is used and abused, and encourages them to explore alternative frameworks for understanding the role of art in shaping our world. "The Sovereign Self" is a seminal work that will inspire scholars, artists, and activists alike to reimagine the boundaries of artistic expression and engage in the ongoing struggle for social and political change.

Weight: 392g
Dimension: 153 x 232 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478020424