The art movement known as Futurism was born in Italy in 1909 with the publication of F. T. Marinetti’s “The Founding and Manifesto of Futurism,” outlining the philosophy of this revolutionary movement comprising an international band of artists, sculptors and poets - Umberto Boccioni, Carlo Carrà, Luigi Russolo, Giacomo Balla, Gino Severini, among others. These Futurists loved speed, noise, machines and danger and also proclaimed a muscular political agenda linked to Fascism.

Richard Humphrey’s lively, richly illustrated book covers the origins, development and pervasive influence of this group that thrived on boldly setting down their Manifestos on such topics as art, sculpture, architecture, poetry, music, lust and war. Perhaps an effective way for me to provide a glimpse into what readers will encounter with this spirited band of visionaries is to share the eleven concise statements of their staunch political/cultural/artistic position at the heart of F. T. Marinetti’s Manifesto along with my comments. Here they are:

1. We intend to sing the love of danger, the habit of energy and fearlessness. ----------- Hardly the words of a group of sensitive, refined Romantic or Decadent aesthetes who make a hasty retreat from the world in order to live and create in the rarefied atmosphere and safety of isolation. No, no, no – right out on the city street, in your face, creating works of art that kick ass.


2. Courage, audacity, and revolt will be essential elements of our poetry. -------- These Futurists wanted to insert themselves into history rather than simply art history and that’s history as in the real flow of monumental events with a stomp of the jackboot – none of those reasoned, mild-mannered discussions or incremental changes so as not to upset the status quo. Just the opposite: think of black uniformed soldiers racing around in fast, sleek cars; think of a Mussolini rally with a crowd of thousands cheering in response to impassioned rhetoric, words of fire and action ; think of the Italian dictator shooting off air raid sirens just to keep the population on their toes.

3. Up to now literature has exalted a pensive immobility, ecstasy, and sleep. We intend to exalt aggressive action, a feverish insomnia, the racer’s stride, the mortal leap, the punch and the slap. ---------- The now famous myth of the writer as tough guy. Years after Marinetti’s Manifesto, the tradition has been carried forward by writers like Ernest Hemingway, Henry Miller and Charles Bukowski, tough guys who take time out from daring adventures and barroom brawls to punch and slap the keys of their typewriter.

4. We affirm that the world’s magnificence has been enriched by a new beauty: the beauty of speed. A racing car whose hood is adorned with great pipes, like serpents of explosive breath—a roaring car that seems to ride on grapeshot is more beautiful than the Victory of Samothrace. ----------- Ah, those noising, revving autos speeding along the highway. Actually, to my mind, there is an even more powerful display of gleaming silver pipes and symbol of roaring danger and speed: the modern motorcycle. With so many revving, gleaming motorcycles and lists of driver deaths, the vision of the Futurists is still very much with us.



5. We want to hymn the man at the wheel, who hurls the lance of his spirit across the Earth, along the circle of its orbit. ------- This statement of constantly driving a high speeds, defying death at every turn, shooting left and right, watching explosions all around you anticipates our culture of high speed ultra-violent video and computer games and, of course, ultra-violent movies and films. Again, the spirit of Marinetti and the Futurists are with us still.

6. The poet must spend himself with ardor, splendor, and generosity, to swell the enthusiastic fervor of the primordial elements. ---------- We all have seen and heard our modern day poets of enthusiasm, fervor and primal energy: rock stars.

7. Except in struggle, there is no more beauty. No work without an aggressive character can be a masterpiece. Poetry must be conceived as a violent attack on unknown forces, to reduce and prostrate them before man. ---------- Those Futurists proclaimed spiritual vitality by living in the present and through the aesthetics of action. Movement is everything. Even a little doggie can get in on the action. And what would the Futurists say if you asked them about art that should be created to endure over time? Answer: Vai all'inferno!



8. We stand on the last promontory of the centuries! Why should we look back, when what we want is to break down the mysterious doors of the Impossible? Time and Space died yesterday. We already live in the absolute, because we have created eternal, omnipresent speed. --- Go, Futurists, go! Viva la speed!

9. We will glorify war—the world’s only hygiene—militarism, patriotism, the destructive gesture of freedom-bringers, beautiful ideas worth dying for, and scorn for woman. ---------- Ah, the futurists are coming - duck and cover! Too bad the futurists were fascists. What would Marinetti would have to say in the aftermath of Nazi Germany and fascist Italy? Also, what did Marinetti’s wife have to say about her husband’s Manifesto?

10. We will destroy the museums, libraries, academies of every kind, will fight moralism, feminism, every opportunistic or utilitarian cowardice. ----------- Take no prisoners! And the hell with all that stuffy, refined culture! Again, for me, this brings to mind the modern mentality of action video games and action movies: the more violent, the more speed, the more multiple heavy-duty explosions to loud, heavy metal rock and chances to pull the trigger and fire, the better.


11. We will sing of great crowds excited by work, by pleasure, and by riot . . . ---------- The ultimate Futurist modern day event: the rave concert.
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The art movement known as Futurism was born in Italy in 1909 with the publication of F. T. Marinetti’s “The Founding and Manifesto of Futurism,” outlining the philosophy of this revolutionary movement comprising an international band of artists, sculptors and poets - Umberto Boccioni, Carlo Carrà, Luigi Russolo, Giacomo Balla, Gino Severini, among others. These Futurists loved speed, noise, machines and danger and also proclaimed a muscular political agenda linked to Fascism.

Richard Humphrey’s lively, richly illustrated book covers the origins, development and pervasive influence of this group that thrived on boldly setting down their Manifestos on such topics as art, sculpture, architecture, poetry, music, lust and war. Perhaps an effective way for me to provide a glimpse into what readers will encounter with this spirited band of visionaries is to share the eleven concise statements of their staunch political/cultural/artistic position at the heart of F. T. Marinetti’s Manifesto along with my comments. Here they are:

1. We intend to sing the love of danger, the habit of energy and fearlessness. ----------- Hardly the words of a group of sensitive, refined Romantic or Decadent aesthetes who make a hasty retreat from the world in order to live and create in the rarefied atmosphere and safety of isolation. No, no, no – right out on the city street, in your face, creating works of art that kick ass.


2. Courage, audacity, and revolt will be essential elements of our poetry. -------- These Futurists wanted to insert themselves into history rather than simply art history and that’s history as in the real flow of monumental events with a stomp of the jackboot – none of those reasoned, mild-mannered discussions or incremental changes so as not to upset the status quo. Just the opposite: think of black uniformed soldiers racing around in fast, sleek cars; think of a Mussolini rally with a crowd of thousands cheering in response to impassioned rhetoric, words of fire and action ; think of the Italian dictator shooting off air raid sirens just to keep the population on their toes.

3. Up to now literature has exalted a pensive immobility, ecstasy, and sleep. We intend to exalt aggressive action, a feverish insomnia, the racer’s stride, the mortal leap, the punch and the slap. ---------- The now famous myth of the writer as tough guy. Years after Marinetti’s Manifesto, the tradition has been carried forward by writers like Ernest Hemingway, Henry Miller and Charles Bukowski, tough guys who take time out from daring adventures and barroom brawls to punch and slap the keys of their typewriter.

4. We affirm that the world’s magnificence has been enriched by a new beauty: the beauty of speed. A racing car whose hood is adorned with great pipes, like serpents of explosive breath—a roaring car that seems to ride on grapeshot is more beautiful than the Victory of Samothrace. ----------- Ah, those noising, revving autos speeding along the highway. Actually, to my mind, there is an even more powerful display of gleaming silver pipes and symbol of roaring danger and speed: the modern motorcycle. With so many revving, gleaming motorcycles and lists of driver deaths, the vision of the Futurists is still very much with us.



5. We want to hymn the man at the wheel, who hurls the lance of his spirit across the Earth, along the circle of its orbit. ------- This statement of constantly driving a high speeds, defying death at every turn, shooting left and right, watching explosions all around you anticipates our culture of high speed ultra-violent video and computer games and, of course, ultra-violent movies and films. Again, the spirit of Marinetti and the Futurists are with us still.

6. The poet must spend himself with ardor, splendor, and generosity, to swell the enthusiastic fervor of the primordial elements. ---------- We all have seen and heard our modern day poets of enthusiasm, fervor and primal energy: rock stars.

7. Except in struggle, there is no more beauty. No work without an aggressive character can be a masterpiece. Poetry must be conceived as a violent attack on unknown forces, to reduce and prostrate them before man. ---------- Those Futurists proclaimed spiritual vitality by living in the present and through the aesthetics of action. Movement is everything. Even a little doggie can get in on the action. And what would the Futurists say if you asked them about art that should be created to endure over time? Answer: Vai all'inferno!



8. We stand on the last promontory of the centuries! Why should we look back, when what we want is to break down the mysterious doors of the Impossible? Time and Space died yesterday. We already live in the absolute, because we have created eternal, omnipresent speed. --- Go, Futurists, go! Viva la speed!

9. We will glorify war—the world’s only hygiene—militarism, patriotism, the destructive gesture of freedom-bringers, beautiful ideas worth dying for, and scorn for woman. ---------- Ah, the futurists are coming - duck and cover! Too bad the futurists were fascists. What would Marinetti would have to say in the aftermath of Nazi Germany and fascist Italy? Also, what did Marinetti’s wife have to say about her husband’s Manifesto?

10. We will destroy the museums, libraries, academies of every kind, will fight moralism, feminism, every opportunistic or utilitarian cowardice. ----------- Take no prisoners! And the hell with all that stuffy, refined culture! Again, for me, this brings to mind the modern mentality of action video games and action movies: the more violent, the more speed, the more multiple heavy-duty explosions to loud, heavy metal rock and chances to pull the trigger and fire, the better.


11. We will sing of great crowds excited by work, by pleasure, and by riot . . . ---------- The ultimate Futurist modern day event: the rave concert.
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