The Movement of Futurism

The art movement of Futurism was started in Italy in 1909 by several artists and poets who embraced the changing world. Some of these include Umberto Boccioni, Giacomo Balla, F.T. Marinetti, and Gino Severini. Their paintings and manifestos showed their love of speed, noise, pollution, big cities, and machines. Marinetti’s Manifesto of Futurism gives us an overview of Futurist principles.

This manifesto reveals that Futurist poetry and paintings must show courage, revolt, danger, energy, and audacity. Many Futurist paintings have a bold feel, and are definitely energetic and eclectic. Futurism adds a certain aggressiveness that assaults the dreadfully boring literature and art of the past. Some of these paintings seem boxy and scattered. Futurism does take a lot from Cubism, but ultimately tries to convey a different message. The artists used some of these and newly created techniques to create very emotional confusions with the design of a machine. The futurists never looked back. The past is dead, the future is now.

Futurists were condemned for their work. The public feared and attacked the advances in technology. The futurists showed us an alternative philosophy. They also glorified warfare, scorn of women, and destruction of museums, libraries, and universities. They were not very popular at the time for holding these values. They believed that art is nothing but violence, cruelty, and injustice. They knew they had no public support, but they didn’t care. They stood strong in their beliefs, and changed art as we know it.