History of the Future, Dreams of the Past
Often, excellence in a particular area can overshadow brilliance in other fields, and Milan’s reputation as the global capital of fashion and design tends to eclipse its many less-famed virtues. To cite an example: Milan’s importance as the epicenter of the creation of Futurism, an important twentieth century art movement.
The Futurist Movement was based on an intense loathing for the past, fused with a fascination for speed, technology and violence. Inspired by the process of industrialization, Marinetti, a local poet, first drafted the Futurist Manifesto in 1909, and it was finalized in company with other artists including Balla, Boccioni and Russolo, who regularly gathered at Marinetti’s home on Corso Venezia 61, and in coffee shops in Piazza Duomo.
The document was drastic and sweeping, going as far as to describe museums as “nothing more than cemeteries” drenched in commonplace artistic tradition. This intensity caused controversy and broadcasted the movement’s ideas beyond northern Italy. Marinetti himself, with his revolutionary demeanor and a truly avant-garde movement, swiftly gained popularity abroad. Many artists, inspired by the notorious Manifesto, applied Futurist principles to their own fields. Ideas such as Architectural Futurism, which envisioned a vertical, mechanical world with buildings conceived as “Urban Structures”, began to flourish throughout the West.
The social and political instability that developed in the early 1900s also influenced the Futurist Movement. Its infatuation with mechanization and efficiency wedded nicely with the emergent Fascist Movement in Italy. This marked the beginning of Futurism’s demise, as ironically, its greatest pitfall was being overtaken by the future.
Palazzo Reale is presently paying tribute to the Futurist Movement, and more specifically to one of its main creators, Giacomo Balla. Possibly one of the most alluring titles of any exhibition in Milan, The Modernity of Futurism is not just an impish play on words, but also a stunningly articulate presentation of a truly innovative artist. The show covers Balla’s entire artistic career, and portrays the artist’s radical changes over the years.
To complement the exhibit dedicated to Balla, Palazzo Reale is also presenting one of the most eminent artists of the 20th century, Francis Bacon. While not a Futurist, Bacon personifies, both individually and artistically, many prevalent aspects of the movement. The intensity of his work, and his overall pessimistic depiction of a human race “corrupted by various institutions” are an obvious extension of Futurist principals with a personal twist: a more emotive perspective. The exhibition at Palazzo Reale is presented at a remarkably high standard of quality and detail that renders all visitors, whatever their opinions on Bacon’s dramatic imagery, stunned. Moreover, it is part of a current wave of exhibits dedicated to the master that includes the Metropolitan Museum of New York, El Museo Prado of Madrid and the Tate of London.
The most interesting segment of these exhibits is their ability to tie Giacomo Balla’s fundamental Futurism with the modern interpretations of one of his successors, Francis Bacon. Furthermore, it organically binds the Futurist Movement to its place of origin: our beloved city. Many of Marinetti’s cafés can still be found inside Galleria Vittorio Emanuele or in Piazza Duomo, and his “Casa Rossa” home continues to be an open hub of intellectual discussion even after his death in 1944.
However disguised by the city’s other claims to fame, Milan’s role in the development of the Futurist Movement was imperative. Logically, I plead to every intrepid traveler visiting Milan to explore the hidden wonders of the city not only by attending these exhibits, but also by discovering the many spots of great intellectual density that are peppered throughout town.
Palazzo Reale is located on the west side of Piazza Duomo.
The Giacomo Balla exhibition ends on June 2nd.
The Francis Bacon exhibition ends on August 24th.
Emilio X. Bonilla