Futurism is thought to have originated in Italy in the early 20th century. It has connection with Fascism and became popular amongst Russian artists too. Cubism would have influenced Futurism and other art movements that sprung from it were Vortism, Art Deco and Constructivism.
Futurism uses the distortion of perspective with emphasis on motion and rhythm. The use of colour is often bright and intense, with streaks of different hues sitting next to one another. Forms are angular and sharp – very offensive.
The subject matter is really what defines Futurism as it is all about the future of society and the way of life. If you think that at the time World War One was happening as well as rapid technological advancement and mass industry, this is what Futurists were portraying in their work.
Umberto Boccioni, Dynamism of a Man’s Head
This man’s head is very disfigured and the mood I sense from it is one of anguish and anxiety. You can see this in the eyes.
Boccioni is probably the most famous artist from this art movement. He perfected a style that is cherished for its dynamism in both form and colour during an era of war and industry.
Natalia Sergeevna Goncharova, Cyclist
Motion! We really get a sense that the bike is moving. The subject is a bicycle – a mechanical object; something that the Futurists loved to paint.
Giacomo Balla, Velocity of an Automobile
Again, we see a semi-abstract representation of a machine. The curves and lines slicing through each other portrays a car zooming past.
Carlo Carrà, Funeral of the Anarchist Galli
A truly spectacular artwork in terms of colour, at least. I like how there is so much black, which so happened to be associated with death. But also there is bright reds, yellows and blues that all compliment one another and make it roar with energy.
Luigi De Giudici, deconstruction of a woman
It’s interesting how Luigi has captured the human figure in a mechanical way. It certainly looks stiff and rigid in its structure and the colours are similar to metal and rust.
Personal Study – Nonsense Poem
Here, I have designed a poster of Nonsense poetry in the style of F. T. Marinetti. The theme is about Old Norse language. Several aspects of the typography allude to a connection between it and the Vikings – the runes, the red colour of bloodshed and the phonetic sounds of the nonsense words.
There is a hidden depth to this poem in that, just as this short poem makes no sense, so can we make little sense of the actual Old Norse language, unless we learn it. It is a sign that we are very different in our language despite many English words having roots in Old Norse.
I’ve included the axe as a symbol of their violence and also dripping blood for the same reason as these help connect the mood of the poster with the subject. The typography has been structured to flow with the rhythm of the poem and the colours are brighter where certain words need to stand out more.
Contextual Influences 