Time to rethink Futurism?

[nino_savatte]

I wasn't sure if this was the right forum for this, since it is both artistic and political (the politicised aesthetic or vice versa, if you will).

Most art movements have not come in for the same criticism as Futurism and while any criticism of the politics of the movement is valid, is it possible to view the art separate from the ideology?

Futurism is almost 100 years old, it emphasised the beauty of machines: the noise and speed of the technological age but Marinetti and his followers were also obsessed with war, discord and slaughter. Marinetti himself described "War" as "the world's only hygiene".

But Futurism also gave us noise as music; the ideas of Russolo were adopted by composers like Stockhausen, Satie and Varese and given their own inflections. Even Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music could be described as a Futurist musical text since it contains nothing but noise.

What's the verdict? Should there be a poll?

 

[Dubversion]

it's a tricky one because there's a lot about Futurism that appeals, but it just seems tricky NOT to tip over into fascism. you only have to look at the futurist elements of a lot of the 80s industrial scene to see that it's not a problem that goes away.

Toad of Toad Hall was the first Futurist you know.

 

[nino_savatte]

it's a tricky one because there's a lot about Futurism that appeals, but it just seems tricky NOT to tip over into fascism. you only have to look at the futurist elements of a lot of the 80s industrial scene to see that it's not a problem that goes away.

Toad of Toad Hall was the first Futurist you know.

Very true, the 80's industrialists and some of the electro pioneers of the early 80's embraced some ideologically suspect iconography. Even Spandau Ballet, who weren't art school types appropriated aspects of fascist modernism. The lyrics to the song Musclebound being a good example as well as the title of their first album Journeys To Glory, sounds as though it's come straight from the mouth of Leni Reifenstahl.

Interestingly enough Adam Ant plays about with the Futurist manifestoes on Animals and Men and Family of Noise on Dirk Wears White Socks.

Agree with you about Mr Toad btw, what a dandy!

 

[Dubversion]

there's a bit in Wind In The Willows where - confined to his room - Toad makes a 'car' out of chairs and drives himself to an orgiastic frenzy pretending to drive at speed.

 

[nino_savatte]

Stunning!

 

[Dubversion]

does Vorticism qualify as Futurism, or were they even weirder? they gave good manifesto at least..

 

[nino_savatte]

does Vorticism qualify as Futurism, or were they even weirder? they gave good manifesto at least..

Vorticism, like Cubism and Dada are all heavily indebted to Futurism. Where are today's art manifestoes????

 

[butchersapron]

I liked Wyndham lewis - he accused stalinist soak Hemingway of having 'the eyes of a failed rapist'.

 

[Dubversion]

gimme ten minutes, i'll write you one

 

[butchersapron]

There are loads all over the web. The surfascism one was quite good.

 

[Firky]

I don't think it is any surprise that futurism stemmed from Italy, albeit in 19hundreds... because of their passion for the fast red motor car, man made ergonomics, and premediated aesthetics has always been there, just in different forms - such as their Roman temples and cities, their civic pride and their almost tower of babel quest to reach an higher aesthetic, is a muse to futurism imho, which in turn is a muse to constructivism, one of my faves (along with suprematism).

 

[Firky]

Oh to add:

Yeah, futurism is massive, just look at the new and massive movement in architecture... the gherkin and shit, i forget the word because i'm battered. it'll come back in time with more JD.

 

[chilango]

I`ve just finished a project on Futurism with my Yr 9 classes. We didn`t go into the politics of it.

they loved the techniques and aesthetics of it.

Check out the Russian futurist movement. they didn`t become fascists at all....

 

[Firky]

constructivism & suprematism?

 

[chilango]

Yup.

thats what some of them became.

The 1st manifesto of Russian futurism or whatever its called, makes for good reading too.

 

[nino_savatte]

I don't think it is any surprise that futurism stemmed from Italy, albeit in 19hundreds... because of their passion for the fast red motor car, man made ergonomics, and premediated aesthetics has always been there, just in different forms - such as their Roman temples and cities, their civic pride and their almost tower of babel quest to reach an higher aesthetic, is a muse to futurism imho, which in turn is a muse to constructivism, one of my faves (along with suprematism).

When Futurism was unleashed on the world in 1909, Italy had only been a unified country for about 40 years. But Italy's culture was seen as stuffy, conservative and impotent, the country was largely agrarian. The Futurists wanted to sweep away all the museums, art galleries and libraries because these were seen as a bastions of the cultural establishment.

One thing that is noticeable about the Futurists is the near absence of women in the movement. I suppose one could argue that the Futurists were misogynistic and the first manifesto talks of "contempt for woman". But was this a reaction to the percieved matriarchy of Italian society?

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Interesting from a photographers point of view today in a new digital era is the initial reluctance for futurists to accept photography as an art form. The fact that photography was (an still is) a scientific process contradicted the beliefs of Futurism at the time. Photography was all about 'freezing' life and time.

Photography was accepted later as an art form (initially in the recording of movement in a still image).

TBH I'm not altogether sure WTF Futurism is. Can anyone explain it in a modern day context please? Plenty of stuff about the starting beliefs but, very little concise info on the web about how it developed.

 

[Firky]

When Futurism was unleashed on the world in 1909, Italy had only been a unified country for about 40 years. But Italy's culture was seen as stuffy, conservative and impotent, the country was largely agrarian. The Futurists wanted to sweep away all the museums, art galleries and libraries because these were seen as a bastions of the cultural establishment.

One thing that is noticeable about the Futurists is the near absence of women in the movement. I suppose one could argue that the Futurists were misogynistic and the first manifesto talks of "contempt for woman". But was this a reaction to the percieved matriarchy of Italian society?

There's quite often been a lack of women in western culture, but, I really don't wanna go down that road as it is an entire can of worms

You kind of just supported my point in a way, the museums, galleries and temples, were the cataylst rather than the muse... muse is the wrong word, they fanned the embers as it were.

But I still maintain that the style came in directly from the enviroment in which it was born, literally - It is just the association I make, it just stinks of the holy roman empire!

 

[Firky]

would rivera's 'man controller of the universe' be considered futurism, nino?

thats got me puddled.

 

[nino_savatte]

would rivera's 'man controller of the universe' be considered futurism, nino?

thats got me puddled.

Dunno, I'd have to check that. I know that Marshall MacLuhan's famous quote "The medium is the message" is considered to be a Futurist statement.

 

[Firky]

Thank fuck there's people out there like you nino, stops me feeling like a total twat

 

[chilango]

would rivera's 'man controller of the universe' be considered futurism, nino?

thats got me puddled.

I saw it the other day, and no I don`t reckon it is. The painting style isn`t very futurist. The content and meaning is not really futurist either.

imo.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

No. Still don't get it. An art movement that claimed to celebrate the industrial age and scientific development initially decide that photography can not be art

If we put the Futurist ethos in today's context would they be celebrating digital technology? Or, would they be claiming anything broken down into a set of numbers could never be art?

 

[Firky]

I saw it the other day, and no I don`t reckon it is. The painting style isn`t very futurist. The content and meaning is not really futurist either.

imo.

The style is not futurist, but I think the content certainly has elements of it.

Futurism is an invention by intellectuals, as much as that multi-cultralism is a western invention. Its the same with post modernism / modernism... when people try and make distinct divisions I lose interest.

Just like conversation naturally changes from one tone to another so does an art movement, yet hte syntax remains almost intact.

futurism is just mutual masturbation for the 'higher classes', it only serves to distance its self from the viewer, its not a nice movememnt - it has no regard for anything but its self, just like human nature. it is bold and demanding.

i find it fascinating how we all get something different out of it

 

[Firky]

No. Still don't get it. An art movement that claimed to celebrate the industrial age and scientific development initially decide that photography can not be art

If we put the Futurist ethos in today's context would they be celebrating digital technology? Or, would they be claiming anything broken down into a set of numbers could never be art?

Thats exactly it, there should be no pigeon holing, its all one big snake, baby. Ride the snake.

 

[Leica]

Futurism is almost 100 years old, it emphasised the beauty of machines: the noise and speed of the technological age but Marinetti and his followers were also obsessed with war, discord and slaughter. Marinetti himself described "War" as "the world's only hygiene".

This applies to italian Futurism only. Russian futurism is the other side of the coin ("a slap in the face of public taste" etc).

To answer your question, I don't think it is a good idea to study a tendency in art outside of the historical context that produced it. Also I think this is different from later uses of italian Futurism, where the tendency becomes a style or an image.

 

[Leica]

the initial reluctance for futurists to accept photography as an art form.

where did they say that?

 

[nino_savatte]

This applies to italian Futurism only. Russian futurism is the other side of the coin ("a slap in the face of public taste" etc).

To answer your question, I don't think it is a good idea to study a tendency in art outside of the historical context that produced it. Also I think this is different from later uses of italian Futurism, where the tendency becomes a style or an image.

Sure it does. But the art of the Italian Futurists, together with the love of technology and noise have found their way in to cultural products. Indeed the first NME front cover of the 1980's was a homage to Balla (iirc).

 

[Leica]

But the art of the Italian Futurists, together with the love of technology and noise have found their way in to cultural products. Indeed the first NME front cover of the 1980's was a homage to Balla (iirc).

but as a style. This happens to other art movements as well - designers getting inspiration from the avant guarde.
Or are you saying that we are witnessing italian Futurism's second coming?

 

[nino_savatte]

but as a style. This happens to other art movements as well - designers getting inspiration from the avant guarde.
Or are you saying that we are witnessing italian Futurism's second coming?

There's a manifesto of Futurists programmers out there. I'll try and find it. I'm not sure about Italian Futurism's second coming but I anticipate a centenary celebration of some sort.