Futurists

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1912 (from left) Futurists CarrĂ , Marinetti, Boccioni and Severini in front of Le Figaro, Paris.

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1918 A Tumultuous Gathering by Filippo T. Marinetti.

Italian Futurism is an exciting and influential design movement of the early 20th century. The Futurists are thrilled with the technological advances that are a result of the Industrial Revolution and many of their pieces are influenced by speed and dynamism. However, the layout of design is not the only thing that satisfies a Futurist’s fixation for motion. The Futurist seeks to inspire forward thinking motion for a divided Italy in the early 20th century.

It is suggested that the movement is an outraged reaction of the dwindling relevance of Italy culturally and economically. The Futurist Manifesto is written in 1909 by Filippo Marinetti, declaring the beginning of the art of the future. In an attempt to transform how poetry is read on page, the Futurists use the words in freedom theory to arrange type in an onomatopoeic composition. Their expressive use of typography is influential to designers through the rest of the 20th century.

FILIPPO

MARINETTI

Futurists founder Filippo T. Marinetti.

1916 Vitesse Elegante

by Filippo T. Marinetti.

FOUNDING FUTURISM

THE END OF FUTURISM

Filippo Tommaso Marinetti is born in December of 1876 in Alexandria, Egypt. With influence from his mother, Marinetti develops a love for writing. After graduating with a degree in law from the University of Pavia in Italy, Marinetti decides to pursue a career in literature. In the years between school and prior to Futurism, Marinetti is a writer who follows the traditions of poetic values.

He is described as tender man loyal to his father and to his family. However, social pessimism leads to his more radical views that begin to shape Futurist ideals.

Marinetti and the Futurists participate in early Fascism. Marinetti founds the Futurist Political Party and aligns with Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.

He is one of the first supporters of Fascism and writes the Manifesto of Italian Futurism. Marinetti also attempts to make Futurism the official artistic style of Italy. Marinetti later claims that Fascism conflicts with the Futurists rebellious attitudes.

1915 After the Marne

by Filippo T. Marinetti.

LEADING THE FUTURISTS In the Futurist Manifesto, Marinetti encourages the glorification of war and as the Great War begins, he volunteers for service. Marinetti becomes a soldier and also supports Italy’s war effort with literary works.

Marinetti applies his ideas about the glorification of war to the sound poem, Zang, Tumb, Tumb. In this famous book, the words in freedom theory is applied, which gives graphical quality to the text. Without using verbs or adjectives, Marinetti describes the Battle of Adrianople by recounting the drum beat of war with contrasts in type, scale and layout.

The artist book is 228-pages featuring fold out poems, manifestos and essays written by Marinetti. Zang, Tumb, Tumb is considered a pivotal piece of avant-garde design.

1914 Zang Tumb Tumb front and back covers

by Filippo T. Marinetti.

It is his association with Fascism that leads Marinetti to fall out of favor with Italian public. The practice of Futurism continues to be lead by Marinetti through the rest of his life.

Marinetti serves in the colonial war of 1935 known as the Second ItaloAbyssinian War as well as the Second World War. During his service he works on a collection of poems glorifying war time achievements, but dies of cardiac arrest before the end of the war in 1944.

WORDS IN FREEDOM The Futurist believe that they will change the world by looking to the future for direction. Written in the original Futurist Manifesto, Marinetti mocks the layout of standard poetry.

The Futurists abandon past traditions of page layout for new, intuitive layout.

Words in freedom is a radical design concept that challenges how type is arranged on a page with purposeful yet chaotic typographic compositions.

While practicing this design theory, Futurists abandon the use of verbs and adjectives for description. Instead, the arrangement of visual elements conveys the description of the noun.

The words in freedom theory becomes influential to a century of graphic designers, especially other European avant-garde movements such as Dadaism and Constructivism.

1919 front cover Les Mots en Liberte Futuristes by Filippo T. Marinetti.

1919 page from Les Mots en Liberte Futuristes by Filippo T. Marinetti.

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1912 (from left) Futurists CarrĂ , Marinetti, Boccioni and Severini in front of Le Figaro, Paris.

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1931 Bitter Campari

by Fortunato Depero.

Italian Futurism is an exciting and influential design movement of the early 20th century. The Futurists are thrilled with the technological advances that are a result of the Industrial Revolution and many of their pieces are influenced by speed and dynamism. However, the layout of design is not the only thing that satisfies a Futurist’s fixation for motion. The Futurist seeks to inspire forward thinking motion for a divided Italy in the early 20th century.

It is suggested that the movement is an outraged reaction of the dwindling relevance of Italy culturally and economically. The Futurist Manifesto is written in 1909 by Filippo Marinetti, declaring the beginning of the art of the future. In an attempt to transform how poetry is read on page, the Futurists use the words in freedom theory to arrange type in an onomatopoeic composition. Their expressive use of typography is influential to designers through the rest of the 20th century.

FORTUNATO

DEPERO

1924 Futurists Fortunato Depero.

1924 Aniccham 3000

by Fortunato Depero.

FUTURISM INFLUENCE

SPREADING FUTURISM

Born in March of 1892, Fortunato Depero grows up in Rovereto, Italy.

On a trip to Florence in 1913, Depero discovers the writings and theories of the Futurists. Although he is one of the late members to join the movement, Depero meets and joins the Futurists in 1913 and becomes the most enduring member.

At the end of the 1920’s, Depero spends two years in New York City and his Futurist influence is spread through his work for publications such as The New Yorker, the New York Daily News and Vogue.

In 1915 Depero writes a manifesto with fellow Futurist, Giacomo Balla, titled Futurists Reconstruction of the Universe. This manifesto details abstract Futurists art.

1927 page from Depero Futurista by Fortuanto Depero.

ICON OF FUTURISM In 1919, Depero founds the House of Futurist Art in Rovereto, Italy. Here, he specializes in creating Futurist products for the home. Depero also represents the Futurists at the International Exposition of Modern Arts and over the next decade continues his Futurist work.

His style is most recognizable for using flat forms with broad areas of color, as seen on the cover of his most famous pieces, Depero Futurista. This self titled artists book from 1927 is bound by two metal bolts. The book features all of the work Depero does as a Futurist, including paintings, sculptures, designs, and his manifesto.

Depero Futurista is regarded as one of the essential pieces of the Futurist movement for representing the industrial times.

1927 artist book Depero Futurista by Fortunato Depero.

Depero moves back to Italy as Futurism becomes less influential due to the connections to Fascism.

However, he is still able to found and direct the futurist magazine, Dinamo.

Depero continues his work as a Futurist and in the decades to follow, transitions back to Italy, then to New York City.

WORDS IN FREEDOM The Futurist believe that they will change the world by looking to the future for direction. Written in the original Futurist Manifesto, Marinetti mocks the layout of standard poetry.

The Futurists abandon past traditions of page layout for new, intuitive layout.

Words in freedom is a radical design concept that challenges how type is arranged on a page with purposeful yet chaotic typographic compositions.

While practicing this design theory, Futurists abandon the use of verbs and adjectives for description. Instead, the arrangement of visual elements conveys the description of the noun.

The words in freedom theory becomes influential to a century of graphic designers, especially other European avant-garde movements such as Dadaism and Constructivism.

One of his final achievements is the opening of the Museum Gallery Depero in 1959 in Rovereto, Italy, where he lives out his final days.

Depero dies in 1960 after being ill with hemiparesis and diabetes. He is remembered as being the most enduring supporter of Futurism.

1927 (top and bottom) design pages from Depero Futurista by Fortuanto Depero.

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1912 (from left) Futurists Carrà, Marinetti, Boccioni and Severini in front of Le Figaro, Paris.

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1914 Patriotic Celebration

by Carlo Carrà.

Italian Futurism is an exciting and influential design movement of the early 20th century. The Futurists are thrilled with the technological advances that are a result of the Industrial Revolution and many of their pieces are influenced by speed and dynamism. However, the layout of design is not the only thing that satisfies a Futurist’s fixation for motion. The Futurist seeks to inspire forward thinking motion for a divided Italy in the early 20th century.

It is suggested that the movement is an outraged reaction of the dwindling relevance of Italy culturally and economically. The Futurist Manifesto is written in 1909 by Filippo Marinetti, declaring the beginning of the art of the future. In an attempt to transform how poetry is read on page, the Futurists use the words in freedom theory to arrange type in an onomatopoeic composition. Their expressive use of typography is influential to designers through the rest of the 20th century.

CARLO CARRÀ

1912 (from left) Futurists Filippo T. Marinetti and Carlo Carrà in Milan.

1914 Graphic Rhythm (with airplane) by Carlo Carrà.

JOINING FUTURISM

POLITICAL MOTIVATION

Carlo Carrà is born in February of 1881 in Quargnento, Italy. Carrà lives in different parts of Europe throughout his youth and is introduced to art through the works of Delacroix and Courbet. Later he studies painting at the Academy of Brera in Milan.

Although he is an important artist in the Futurist movement, Carrà’s contribution to Futurism is short lived. He breaks from the Futurist in 1915 as Italy enters the Great War. Carrà abandons his love of motion and begins painting still lives and mannequins. Over the next two decades of his career, Carrà paints atmospheric landscapes.

It is at the Academy of Brera that Carrà meets other artists who will join him and founders in the Futurist movement. In 1910 Carrà, along with fellow founding Futurists Balla, Boccioni, Russolo, and Severini, publishes the Manifesto of the Futurists Painters.

1914 Eight Types of Idiotic Criticism

by Carlo Carrà.

PRACTICING FUTURISM Carrà is most well known for his contribution to Futurist paintings, with works like Omaggio a Betuda Futurista. With influence from his studies of cotemporary art in Europe, Carrà begins practicing a new style known as Cubo-Futurism. Although the Futurists deny the inspiration of Cubism, the movement is in part inspired by the French Cubists.

One of the most notable piece of art that Carrà creates while practicing Futurism is Patriotic Celebration.

Like many of his works, this piece is a politically motivated collage. Taken from the words in freedom theory, this painting combines newspaper headings to create the blade of a propeller, symbolizing the modern innovations and glorification of war that inspire the Futurists.

1914 Atmospheric Swirls

by Carlo Carrà.

Carrà is most well remembered by his political contributions to Futurism during his time as a young artist. In the beginning of his career his radical and anarchist views better align with the Futurists. During the Great War, Carrà’s political ideas become more conservative and irredentist. Carrà supports Fascism in Italy and joins another artistic group known as Novecento, who produce political propaganda. After a lifetime of artistic achievement, Carrà dies in Milan in 1966.

WORDS IN FREEDOM The Futurist believe that they will change the world by looking to the future for direction. Written in the original Futurist Manifesto, Marinetti mocks the layout of standard poetry.

The Futurists abandon past traditions of page layout for new, intuitive layout.

Words in freedom is a radical design concept that challenges how type is arranged on a page with purposeful yet chaotic typographic compositions.

While practicing this design theory, Futurists abandon the use of verbs and adjectives for description. Instead, the arrangement of visual elements conveys the description of the noun.

The words in freedom theory becomes influential to a century of graphic designers, especially other European avant-garde movements such as Dadaism and Constructivism.

1915 Omaggio a Betuda Futurista by Carlo Carrà.

1914 Chronicle of a Milanese Night Owl

by Carlo Carrà.