"Avant-Garde and Kitsch" (essay)

"Avant-Garde and Kitsch," an essay by Clement Greenberg, explores how art is judged based on taste and originality. The avant-garde represents innovative, experimental work that challenges conventions, often pushing boundaries to promote new ideas. Kitsch, on the other hand, refers to art and objects designed to appeal through cheap sentimentality, often lacking depth or originality. Greenberg argues that true art (avant-garde) strives for integrity and authenticity, while kitsch indulges in superficialism and mass appeal. The essay highlights the importance of genuine artistic achievement over commercially driven, sentimental mass-produced art.