Futurism

1
Futurism

• Molly Christianpd. 3

2
History

• Futurism is a term derived from the literary work
  The Futurist Manifesto.
• The Futurist Manifesto was written by a poet
  named Filippo Tommaso Marinetti
• Many artists such as Luigi Russolo, Giacomo
  Balla, and Carlo Carrà helped write the
  manifesto.
• The manifesto itself outlined the abandonment of
  the past and embracement of speed, movement,
  machinery, and the industrial future.
• The manifesto did not abandon literature, rather
  than stated it would evolve with futurism.

Marinetti
3
What is Futurism?

• Futurism is the artistic movement based on the
  ideals of The Futurist Manifesto
• It started in Italy, and lasted from 1909-1914
• It faded off by the end of World War I
• Futurists liked the speed and movement of
  automobiles, aircrafts, and machinery.

4
What is Futurism contd

• Futurism was so powerful that it spread further
  than the artists and became a social reform
• Music, literature, cuisine, theatre, and
  sculpting were all inspired by Futurism in this
  time.
• The style and idea of Futuristic paintings were
  inspired by the Cubist style, in its use of
  geometric shapes and idea of seeing all points of
  view at once.
• Futurists tried to show the speed and movement of
  the industrial age through painting harsh,
  metallic shapes and large, quick lines.

5
A brief view of Cubism

• The original and primary Cubists were Pablo
  Picasso and Georges Braque
• They wanted to take away from structured,
  controlled form of art that focused too much on a
  conservative view.
• The Cubists tried to break an image down and
  create works that focused on all points of view
  at once.

Pablo Picasso
Georges Braque
The term Cubism was coined by an art critic
that stated the pieces were full of little
cubes. Although the original Cubists didnt
like this term, it caught on in the art world.
6
Cubism timeline

• There are many different levels of the Cubism
  timeline, from Early Cubism, Analytic Cubism,
  High Cubism to Late Cubism.
• While they didnt derive very much from each
  other, the different levels merely meant what
  artists were trying to convey at that point in
  time.
• The timelines also attributed to where the
  movement was most influential at that time.
• In general, the movement was set in western
  Europe and took place between 1906 to 1921

7
Umberto Boccioni

• Umberto Boccioni was born October 19, 1882 in
  Reggio Calabria. He was an Italian painter and
  sculptor, and widely supported the Futurism His
  works focus on showing movement in technology.
  Like most Futurists he also used the theme of
  speed.

• Boccioni was a student of Giacomo Balla.
• Boccioni studied Impressionist and
  Post-Impressionist painting in Paris. These
  studies influenced the way he painted his
  futuristic works. He applied a modified, modern
  version of Impressionism (mainly in style rather
  an aspect) to give him a unique portrayal of
  Futurism, while keeping to the basic principles.

He moved to Milan in 1907, where he met other
Futurists including Marinetti. Boccioni was able
to benefit directly from Marinettis views, and
it influenced him strongly with his Futuristic
artworks.
(Unique Forms of Continuity in Space, 111.44 cm
(43.87 inches))
8
Giacomo Balla

• Giacomo Balla was born in Turin, Italy in 1871.
  He was a founder of the Futurist movement, being
  one of the people to help with The Futurist
  Manifesto. Balla focused on the depiction of
  light and speed for his works, as well as the
  continuity of movement.
• His interest in art grew when he went to study at
  the University of Turin. He moved to Rome and
  began painting as an illustrator and
  caricaturist. After meeting Marinetti, Balla
  became very interested in Futurism and adopted
  the style for his works.

• Unlike other Futuristic works, the colors and
  shapes of Ballas works flow and blur together
  rather than showing sharp, geometric shapes.
  However, the use of movement and speed makes it
  Futuristic.

(Abstract Speed Sound, 54.5 x 76.5 cm (21 1/2 x
30 1/8 in))
9
Joseph Stella

• Joseph Stella was born June 13, 1877 in Muro
• Lucano, Italy. Stella moved to New York
• City when he was 19, and got a look at American
• culture and technology. His first paintings were
  
• based on a Rembrandt style and portrayed the
• dinginess of New York slums. Later, in 1909,
• Stella traveled to Europe and got a view on
• Modernism, and this is where his unique style
• began to form.
• When The Futurist Manifesto was written he
• embraced the movement and decided to portray
• his own version of Futurism. Instead of focusing
  
• on Italian Futurism, he turned to American
  industry and based his paintings on the speed and
  technology happening in America.
• Because of his earlier depictions of life in the
  city and his general ideals, Stella chose to use
  symbolism in his paintings, as well as the common
  uses of speed and movement associated with
  Futurism.

(Brooklyn Bridge, 83 x 76)
10
Carlos Carrà

• Carlo Carrà was born February 1881 in Quargento,
  Italy. Carrà was one of the people to help
  Marinetti with The Futurist Manifesto.
• At the age of 12 Carrà went to Paris where
  he learned of contemporary French art.
• He also created contacts with Italian
  anarchists and learned much about their
  ideals. He went to Milan where he met
  Marinetti, and Marinetti introduced him to
  Futurism. Carrà was so intrigued with the
  movement he decided to help Marinetti and
  adopt the style.
• Carràs depiction of Futurism is very different
  than most others. He still retains some aspects
  of it, but he does not rely heavily on movement
  or speed. He instead focuses on the geometric
  forms and details, as well as utter stillness.
• Carràs political views also influenced his
  work, and made Futurism very unique and personal
  to himself.

(The Funeral of the Anarchist Galli, 198 x 266 cm
(78 x 104.7 in))
11
Analysis
(Battle of Lights, Coney Island 6 ft 4 in x 7 ft
1/4 in)
12
Analysis contd

• The mechanical look also attributes to the
  geometric shapes. Machines also have pieces that
  fit together, much like how the artwork is
  organized. The repetitive, thin rectangles also
  show the use of colorful lighting that can be
  found during Mardi gras. The use of rhythm makes
  the repeating mechanical parts move together, and
  this also shows a visual movement in the artwork.
  All the machines and lights shown are displayed
  through these two, major principles.
• The elements and principles were applied in a
  decisive, cohesive manner, and despite the
  controlled lines it made the overall image move
  together naturally mechanically and naturally.
  The work also portrays how mechanical something
  like Mardi gras has become. The artwork, overall,
  was done well in relaying thought and purpose of
  the machines and lights portrayed. As a
  futuristic painting, a personal opinion would
  follow as liking the piece. It is lively and
  displays the common aspects of futurism, while
  making it entirely unique. Overall, the work is a
  success.

• Joseph Stella, a futurist painter, created the
  work entitled Battle of Lights, Coney Island
  Mardi Gras. His work is 1.9 by 2.2 meters wide,
  equivalent to 6 feet 4 inches by 7 feet 1 inch
  wide. The artwork is made of oil paint. The
  artwork itself holds many blending, clashing, and
  bright colors, and all of the shapes used are
  geometric. There arent many lines of the
  lines in the piece, they are solid and thick
  like rectangles. Color is a major element in the
  composition, and so is shape. The major
  principles are rhythm and movement.
• All the colors in the composition are bright and
  lively, much like the Mardi Gras the piece is
  named for. Most of the shapes used are very
  geometric and have hard edges. The use of
  movement makes the composition appear to vibrate,
  or move together, and the shapes all fit
  together. Rhythm is also used in repetitive
  shapes and colors.
• Many of the shapes look like pieces of mechanics,
  such as amusement rides, cars, and general
  mechanical attributes.

13
References

• "Carlos Carra." History of Art. N.p., n.d. Web.
  Apr 2010.
• lthttp//www.all-art.org/art_20th_century/carra1.
  htmlgt.
• Delahunt, Michael. "Futurism on ArtLex." ArtLex.
  ArtLex, 2010. Web.
• Apr 2010. lthttp//www.artlex.com/ArtLex/f/futur
  ism.htmlgt.
• Futurism. (2009). Columbia Electronic
  Encyclopedia, 6th Edition, p1. Retrieved January
  29, 2010 from EBSCO Host database.
• "Futurism Art." Museum Quality. Huntfor, 2007.
  Web. Apr 2010. lthttp//www.huntfor.com/arthistor
  y/C20th/futurism.htmgt.
• "Giocomo Balla." Artchive. N.p., n.d. Web. Apr
  2010.
• lthttp//www.artchive.com/artchive/B/balla.htmlgt.
• "Joseph Stella." Sullivan Goss. Sullivan Goss,
  2008. Web. Apr 2010. lthttp//www.sullivangoss.com
  /Joseph_Stella/gt.
• "Umberto Boccioni." Artchive. N.p., n.d. Web. Apr
  2010. lthttp//www.artchive.com/artchive/B/boccion
  i.htmlgt.

14
References (images)

• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umberto_Boccioni
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Funeral_of_the_An
  archist_Galli
• Abstract Speed Sound New York Collections.
  Web. Apr 2010.
• lthttp//www.guggenheim.org/new-york/collections/c
  ollection-online/show- full/piece/?searchPeggy20
  Guggenheim20Collectionpage1fInstitution cr6
  gt.
• "Art History." About. N.p., n.d. Web. Apr 2010.
  lthttp//arthistory.about.com/od/educator_parent_r
  esources/ig/picturing_america/pa_neh_28.htmgt.
• "Dog on a Leash." Artchive. N.p., n.d. Web. Apr
  2010.
• lthttp//www.artchive.com/artchive/B/balla/dogleas
  h.jpg.htmlgt.
• "Futurism." Arteest. Arteest, 2010. Web. Apr
  2010. lthttp//arteest.org/futurism.htmgt.