Gramsci had been in prison for almost eight years when Lukács, in 1934, published two essays which are crucial for understanding the state of Marxist aesthetics in the 1930s. The first, entitled ‘Art and Objective Truth’, displays the epistemological foundations of Lukács’ aesthetic theory.1 And the second focuses on what he calls the ‘greatness and decline’ of expressionism.
Rather than begin this book with a potted explanation of Antonio Gramsci’s thought, I want you answer the question ‘Why Gramsci?’ yourself, by ‘doing’ some Gramscian analysis, albeit analysis of a cultural form with which Gramsci himself would have been entirely unfamiliar. Take a piece of participato
The Antonio Gramsci Reader: Selected Writings 1916-1935
with a new introduction by ERIC J. HOBSBAWM "Very usefully pulls the key passages from Gramsci's writings into one volume, which allows English-language readers an overall view of his work. Particularly valuable are the connections it draws across his work and the insights which the introduction and glossary provide into the origin and development of some key Gramscian concepts." --Stuart Hall, Professor of Sociology, Open University
Antonio Sant’Elia (Como 1888-Monfalcone, 1916), a notable Italian futurist architect was, especially after his early death, an important influence on the evolution of modern architecture. He studied in Milan and Bologna. He undertook few commissions and those which were completed were either later demolished or transformed. His imaginative drawings for future cities were displayed in 1914. He wrote two theoretical essays: Messagio and Manifesto dell’architettura futurista.
