Watten, Barrett

The Constructivist Moment: From Material Text to Cultural Poetics

ISBN: 0819566098
Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 2003. First Edition, First Printing. Hardcover. "The Constructivist Moment is a series of essays, written over the past ten years, that address the gap between constructivist aesthetics and a larger cultural poetics. By constructivist aesthetics I mean, broadly put, the imperative in radical literature and art to foreground their formal construction; cultural poetics, discussed below, may be minimally defined as the reflexive relation of artistic form and cultural context. The essays take their primary examples from the work of American modernist and postmodern avant-gardes, contrasting them, on the one hand, with the art and writing of the 1920s Soviet Union and 1990s post-Soviet period, and on the other with aspects of modern and postmodern production that are usually kept outside the bounds of the aesthetic. The essays themselves continue the formal experiment or cultural intervention of their examples in arguing across disciplinary, historical, or generic boundaries, thus continuing the project of construction.” (Abridged Quotation from Introduction, p. XV). An achievement in 20th century literary scholarship by Barrett Watten (b. 1948), the noted American poet & scholar. Here, the breadth of the poet’s knowledge is on view, and shows him in clear command of an understanding of 20th century poetics, as well as the relationship between radical art and political expression, generally. His study is of great value to students of art history, and of literary history, as well. You can’t come away from this book without becoming more intelligent; and that’s why it’s worth your time. From the collection of Barrett Watten, the acclaimed American poet, editor & academician (here in Michigan at Wayne State University) who is a founding member of the Language (or L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E) school of poetry. Hardcover issued without dust jacket: First Edition, though not explicated as such on copyright page; First Printing, as indicated by number sequence, thereon. This copy is additionally signed by the poet on the work’s title page. Watten’s signature, in thin, blue pen ink, reads: “Barrett Watten [underlined].” In strong Fine condition with only minute shelf-wear & some light bumping to fine-edges & corners of front, back covers & spine-edge; & minute-to-moderate rubbing to select locales, throughout; otherwise, clean with interior unmarked. Fine. [Item #9175]

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