Futurist Manifesto – Filippo Tommaso Marinetti
European Art Movement Spread Rapidly to Russia, America and Japan
Jun 28, 2009
The Founding and First Manifesto of Futurism was published on 20th February 1909. One man, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti (1876-1944), an Italian millionaire, stood at the heart of the new art movement. The poet and dramatist published the Manifesto on the front page of the Parisian newspaper, Le Figaro, so from the point of view of publishing it had the best possible advantage. Although Futurism began in literature it soon spread to other arts.
The Art of the Futurists
Marinetti set out to modernise Italian art and social attitudes. The Futurists worshipped youth and action, violence and conflict, modern technology, machinery, the excitement of city life and, above all, speed. They rejected the past, the stagnation of Italian art and culture.
Critics pointed out that this was not a brand new concept. Many artists, long before Marinetti and his supporters, had depicted the beauty of machines and the industrial age. Before the advent of Futurism artists had expressed a wish to burn down the Louvre and similar institutions.
From the start Futurism was involved in politics. Marinetti's main ambition was to make Italy a force to be reckoned with both culturally and politically. Futurism was to play a double role. Firstly, it would introduce new artistic trends portraying the excitement of life in the fast lane, the Machine Age, where Italian culture would be respected for what it was doing in the present, not just for its past. Secondly, it would force the Italian public and the guardians of Italian culture out of their lethargy and coerce them into creating a modern, up-to-date country, which would be just as important as the Italy of classical antiquity and the Renaissance.
By 1910, Marinetti had been joined by Umberto Boccioni, Carlo Carrà, Luigi Russolo, Giacomo Balla and Gino Severini. (Boccioni has recently been the subject of an exhibition at the Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art.)
Manifesto of Futurist Painters
On the 8th March 1910 the Manifesto of Futurist Painters, signed by the aforementioned artists, was published in Turin reiterating the contents of Marinetti's earlier publication.
On 11th April 1910 the painters issued a more precise declaration of what Futurist painting should be. The Technical Manifesto of Futurist Painting is one of the most important of the Futurist statements, not just for painting, but for the movement as a whole.
Futurism – Almost a Political Campaign
Marinetti organised Futurism like a political campaign. He had the money, the energy and the influence to attract attention. He made fast-moving tours of Europe, hiring theatres for Futurist evenings which often ended with stage-managed brawls. The Futurists were in favour of violence and it wasn't unusual for a Futurist to spend a night in prison here and there, following a fight at a Futurist rally.
Futurist doctrines were disseminated through publications and the distribution of manifestos. Marinetti's organisational abilities were outstanding and these publications would appear simultaneously in French and Italian newspapers and periodicals. It was not long before they were translated into German, Spanish and Russian. In the early 1900s art was news and the Futurists' well-publicised antics made them notorious throughout Europe, America and as far a field as Japan.
Although Futurism ended with Italy's defeat in the war and Marinetti's death at Bellagio on 2nd December 1944 interest in the art of the movement continues. In 2009 London's Tate Modern is hosting an exhibition featuring Futurist art that originally appeared in an exhibition organised by Marinetti in 1912. Details of the exhibition, which has already been on view in Paris and Rome, can be obtained from Tate Modern.
Sources:
- Martin, S., Futurism, (Taschen Basic Art Series) Taschen GmbH; Ill edition, 2005.
- Rye, J., Ed., Herbert D., Futurism, Studio Vista, London 1972.
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