Futurism

Futurism was an artistic and social movement that originated in Italy in the early 20th century.

Umberto Boccioni ~ Development of a Bottle in Space, 1913 bronze

It emphasized and glorified themes associated

with contemporary concepts of the future,

including speed, technology, youth and violence,

and objects such as the car, the airplane and the

industrial city.

The Futurists were also fascinated with

movement & the capturing of speed or

movements in art.

Giacomo Balla ~ Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash, 1912

Around 1902, Balla adopted the Futurism style,

creating a pictorial depiction of light, movement

and speed. In 1910, he began designing and

painting Futurist furniture and also created Futurist

"anti-neutral" clothing. In 1914, he also began

sculpting and the following year created perhaps his

best known sculpture called Boccioni's Fist.

Dynamic of Boccioni’s Fist ~

Giacomo Balla, 1914

The Futurists practiced in every medium

of art, including painting, sculpture,

ceramics, graphic design, industrial design,

interior design, theatre, film, fashion,

textiles, literature, music, architecture and

even gastronomy (study of the stomach

aka culinary arts)

Cathedral of Brasilia ~ Oscar Niemeyer, 1960)

Futurist architecture is an early-20th century

form of architecture born in Italy, characterized

by anti-historicism, strong chromaticism, long

dynamic lines, suggesting speed, motion, urgency

and lyricism.

Futurism influenced art movements such as Art Deco, Constructivism, Surrealism, Dada.