Redefining Vygotsky’s early works as a theory of aesthetics

Abstract

The paper critically examines Lev Vygotsky’s art-related texts from 1915 to 1924, challenging interpretations based in Psychology by asserting that his aesthetic framework transcends outdated objectivist references, offering a nuanced philosophical perspective. Situating this within post-1917 Revolutionary Russia, the study explores its alignment with the visions of a ‘Revolutionary’ theatre for the ‘new human being’ in the Russian Futurist movement. It underscores Vygotsky’s pursuit of empirical evidence for understanding theatre’s impact on individuals and society, highlighting Marxist dialectics as the backbone of his aesthetic thought. Moreover, it establishes a connection between Vygotsky’s thought and Formalism, rooted in their shared emphasis on art’s structural features and links his ideas with Futurism, exploring their shared belief in the transformative power of form as a crucial element in provoking social change. The paper defines Vygotsky’s aesthetics, focusing on integral aspects of artistic reception, particularly emotion and imagination. It traces the shifts in Vygotsky’s understanding of these terms from his early reliance on psychoanalysis to the incorporation of dialectic and, later, cultural-historical perspectives, thus integrating Vygotsky’s later theories on human psychology into his aesthetic theory. The paper concludes by exploring the resonance between Vygotsky’s redefined aesthetics and contemporary Cognitive Theatre Studies. It draws attention to methodological convergence and shared insights on the interplay between natural and cultural influences, such as image schemas and conceptual blending, emphasising the enduring relevance of Vygotsky’s perspective on artistic structure and theatre’s transformative socio-political impact.