Avant-garde

Avant-garde come from the word "advanced guard" or "Vanguard' The term represents pushing of boundaries of what we in society accept is the norm or the status quo. Avant-garde is at the forefront of higher culture vs lower culture and it said to be a hallmark of modernism. Many artists have aligned themselves with Avant-garde thinking trying to push to new horizons to discover their own art.

The concept of Avant-garde refers exclusively to marginalised artists , writers, composers and thinkers  whose work is not only opposed to mainstream commercial values, but often has an abrasive social or political edge. Many writers, critics and theorists made assertions about vanguard culture during the formative years of modernism.

Lady GaGa's Bacon dress can be seen as Avant-garde, pushing social boundaries against the norm.