From Vorticism to Fascism: An Interplay of Wyndham Lewis’s Aesthetic Sense of Modernism under Fascism

Abstract

The present paper examines Wyndham Lewis’s pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of modernist aesthetics, particularly through his involvement with the Vorticist movement, and his later alignment with fascist ideas to amalgamate the relationship between art, politics, and ideology under Fascism. Exploring Wyndham Lewis's aesthetic sense of modernism under fascism presents a nuanced and complex narrative that intersects with both artistic innovation and political ideology. Despite his modernist roots, Lewis's aesthetic sense not only underwent a notable shift towards alignment with fascist ideology during the interwar period, but also evolved to accommodate the regime's ideological agenda, and also Fascism, with its emphasis on order, discipline, and national unity, appealed to Lewis as a potential antidote to what he perceived as the chaos and decadence of modern society. While still rooted in modernist principles, Lewis’s work increasingly reflected themes of nationalism, militarism, and authoritarianism, aligning with fascist propaganda and the glorification of the state. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that Lewis's incorporation of his aesthetic sense under fascism was not a wholesale abandonment of modernism but rather a synthesis of modernist techniques with fascist motifs and imagery. To this end, the present paper investigates Wyndham Lewis's aesthetic sense of modernism under fascism as a complex interplay between artistic innovation and political ideology. While Lewis's alignment with fascism marked a departure from his modernist roots, it also underscored the ways in which artistic expression can be influenced by broader social and political forces, raising questions about the relationship between art, ideology, and power.