Sawse - Stir it Up!

A new international movement in the art world “Futurism” was started in 1909 in Italy.

Compared to the emotional aspects of Romanticism, Futurism is a nice contrast. Based around the finer points of natural noise that occurs in cities, from machines, and daily life, and thriving on speed and pace, Futurism was a new direction. Instead of looking down on new technology and devices that make the world more comfortable, like many hypocrites are apt to do, Futurists embrace new technologies and think positively of the aspects of modern technologies then and now. In the past technology was feared and not understood by the masses, and was often the subject of ridicule, departing from that way of thinking, the manifesto of futurists introduced a different way of thinking. With the introduction of a paper that was published by Filippo Marinetti, a poet, Futurism made its first appearance. The manifesto, published in Le Figaro on the front page, in 1909, summarized the basic ideas behind futurism. A love of speed, violence, and technology were at the center of the movement.

At the forefront of futurism was the celebration of all things technological, and a focus on the future, a modernist movement at the time. Representing what was to be held in esteem, were the car, industrialism, and modern places that show man as the technological victor in the battle between man and nature. It is thought that futurism has ties to Cubism, but takes the ideas of Cubism somewhat further. Having its roots in Italy, Futurists boldly let it be known that they were discontent with the way society was functioning. Filippo Marinetti, Umberto Boccioni, and Giacomo Balla, were some of the more well know artists of the time. Looking at the power, speed and motion of the automobile was Marinetti, noting the beauty of this new technology. Calling for sweeping changes in the current cultural and political climate and values, Marinetti believed that violence was an acceptable route for achieving change. He even went as far as to suggest that libraries and museums should be destroyed. Marinetti’s manifesto was intentionally aggressive and was intended to inflame and rouse public sentiment and controversy at the time. In Italy in 1910, new movements in music, art, and literature had begun. At the heart was the attempt to give a recognizable expression to the energy, and dynamics of movement and of things technical and mechanical.

At the time a new form of music arose, the Art of Noise, which was a recognized the sounds in daily life around us. In the past, all around was silence. But, in the 19th century, as more and more machines were invented, new kinds of noise and sounds were being produced. In the past other than the wind, and natural occurring outstanding moments such as the onset of an earthquake, avalanche, or hurricane, men large raucous sounds were not at all common. But today, with the jet plane, large trucks, factories, and more, large industrialized sound reigns supreme.

In the past, sounds that were thought to be wonderful derived from simple instruments, such as those that produced sound from a reed, or strings. Today however, music becomes more and more complex, and the complexities in many cases some modern music towards what might be considered noise, with the focus on dissonance and harsh sounds and beats.

A futurist in an attempt to point out the beauty of modern change and the sounds that accompany it might recommend closing ones eyes and opening the ears to the sounds of the city. Imagine a trek through New York, while concentrating on the sounds around you, gas in pipes, car horns, trains passing by, sounds that come with a variety of construction projects, and even the sound of metal attached to a flag slapping against a flag pole. Traditional ideas of music thrown to the wind, with these new rhythms and sounds created by modern technology, some with patterns and beats that otherwise may not have been thought of as potential music.

Futurists were against the traditional neoclassicism of the time, and bashed architects who used the typical art journals of the time to get their inspiration. Futurists had a problem with the regurgitating of the all too common angles and motifs of the period, calling for modern architecture with new ideas, as apposed to the mindless copying of the old, again and again. A departure from what was taught in academies and schools of the time was the new direction as far as futurists were concerned.

A futurists’ house would not have had all of the old style windows and doors, typical moldings, and may have been made of brick. The idea was not to simply replace the typical decorative elements of the past, but to do away with these types of things and let the architecture itself breath on its own, allowing for the design of the structure itself to be appreciated, and not what was found to be attached. For futurists it was the raw material and interesting color that was to be appreciated.

A morning in the winter, and a hot summer day, according to futurists are one in the same. Paintings of noises, sounds, and smells is the way of the futurist artist. Dull colors such as browns and grays have no place in futurist art, as they are considered to be void of emotion, and to have no passion. Green, red, and yellow are the colors of the day for this movement. Angles that clash, and give the feeling of emotion and turbulence replace the standard right angle of the past in futurist art.