A.R.T.: (Gramsci: Cultural Writings)

 

In Gramsci’s Communism and Art letter, he recalls when the publication of Walt Whitman’s “To a Foil’d European Revolutionaire” was censored by the Turin press review office to members of the Italian Communist Party’s chagrin even though Whitman was not a propagandist or an agitator (I personally question the veracity of this). Gramsci calls this “an offense against pure creation of artistic fantasy.” He goes on to argue against the misconception that socialism was against artistic beauty claiming that it is the capitalists who only see art in monetary terms instead of the work itself. This view is similar to that of Weston and Devine while flying to Malacandra where they neglect the beauty of space compared to Ransom who embraces it. 

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