- The avant-garde (/ˌævɒ̃ˈɡɑːrd/; In French: [avɑ̃ɡaʁd] ‘advance guard’ or ‘vanguard’, literally ‘fore-guard’) is a person or work that is experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society. It is frequently characterized by aesthetic innovation and initial unacceptability.