Baraka, Amiri (Jones, LeRoi; Jacobs, Brian)

Original Lecture Transcript: "Revolutionary Art: (A lecture given at St. Marks Church, NYC 5/94)"

New York, NY, USA: Brian Jacobs, 1994. First Edition. Stapled Sheets. Inscribed, signed & dated by Amiri Baraka to Brian Jacobs. “Revolutionary poetry is poetry expressing 1st as content and then most effectively as form, the ideology, stance & practice of revolution. Direct & complete social (and as political and economic and cultural change. That is to change society by changing human relations within the society and by so doing change the humans ourselves. One factor of imperialism is that it has the capacity to absorb, coopt, distort or completely destroy almost anything. Except ultimate resistance to it, because like change, struggle is a constant. But definition is sterile or critical. One class’ Revolution is another class’ Yeltsin ie, abject and craven counter revolution. Those artists who say their art has nothing to do with politics or society are simply retarded or winking at their own seductions as state and corporate prostitutes. Art expresses the ideological essence and fundamental contradictions of society, of our human social relations. The vaunted “craft” by which this kept sector daunts the naive and the philosophically insecure is the same cry of the rulers who excuse savage bloodiness of imperialism by claiming the formalism of technology is civilization.”--Amiri Baraka, “Revolutionary Art.” Amiri Baraka (1934-2014), a/k/a LeRoi Jones, was a poet, writer, teacher, and political activist who was well known for his strident social criticism, often writing in an incendiary style that made it difficult for some audiences and critics to respond with objectivity to his works. Throughout most of his career his method in poetry, drama, fiction, and essays was confrontational, calculated to shock and awaken audiences to the political concerns of black Americans. For decades, Baraka was one of the most prominent voices in the world of American literature. Baraka’s own political stance changed several times, thus dividing his oeuvre into periods: as a member of the avant-garde during the 1950s, Baraka—writing as Leroi Jones—was associated with Beat poets like Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997) and Jack Kerouac (1922-1969); in the ‘60s, he moved to Harlem and became a Black Nationalist; in the ‘70s, he was involved in third-world liberation movements and identified as a Marxist. Offered today are hand-typed lecture notes from a lecture Baraka gave at St. Marks Church in New York titled Revolutionary Art. A Marxist analysis of the role of art, the artist, and what makes revolutionary art, Revolutionary Art is half polemic, and half deep cultural analysis. Baraka is as concise as his critique is biting. Revolutionary Art is a lecture that is fundamentally rooted in the milieu of poetics that Baraka himself was mired in, but also is fluent in the sort of analytical structures and methodology that Marx and Mao were experts at. Similarly, Baraka melds the poetic and political in a way the exposes their undeniable connectivity and how they inform each other, as well as why it’s so important to produce art that is fundamentally in touch with the masses. Baraka’s political critique is just as sharp as his poetic critique, and Baraka revels in the analysis and criticism of both. An exceptional rarity of one of Baraka’s famous lectures! From the collection of Brian Jacobs (b. 1969) who, in 1994, had just begun his attendance at the Kerouac School/Naropa University (then Naropa Institute), & was beginning his studies with Ginsberg, Anne Waldman (the very co-founders of the School) et al. Later during his sojourn at Naropa of 1994-1996, Jacobs would become Ginsberg's official assistant. Since those heady days of Beat Anointment in the 1990s, Jacobs has gone on to become a most-distinguished author, publisher & academician, a True Beat Progeny who now resides here in Ann Arbor & is our good friend & colleague. We have been privileged to obtain Jacobs' stellar collection, highlights of which, including this especially lofty gem, are the exclusive focus of this group of New Arrivals. Signed and inscribed in thin green ink at top right of first page: “For Brian / Unity & Struggle / Amiri Baraka / 94.” Stapled sheets. First & presumably only printing. In relatively very fine condition with only slight wear to fine edges, slight discoloration due to age-toning, very slight rusting at staple, and one horizontal crease across the middle. Very Fine. [Item #8582]

Price: $300.00