This course will examine Cubist, Futurist, Dada, Suprematist, Constructivist, De Stijl and Surrealist art practices, with a particular focus on their strategies of self-presentation, such as public performances and debates, publications, as well as artist-driven exhibitions and museum collections. We will consider such fundamental questions as what constitutes an avant-garde artistic practice, how can it bring about social and political transformation, and what are the most effective strategies for artists to present their work to the public, shaping its reception and securing its legacy. We will study a range of artistic strategies, including collage, readymade, photomontage, and exhibition design, and the networks that avant-garde artists established, which enabled them to cultivate mutually enriching connections that operated across geographical and national boundaries. The course will include visits to museum exhibitions (virtual if needed), with particular focus on strategies of presentation and reception; guest lectures by museum curators and artists; and viewing of rare historical materials. After the first week of the semester, permission of the instructor will be required in order to register for this course.