Futurismus

Futurismus is the German-language term for the Italian avant-garde movement known as Futurism. It emerged in the early 20th century, with Filippo Tommaso Marinetti’s Futurist Manifesto published in 1909, calling for a break with the past and an embrace of speed, technology, urban life, and modernity. The movement sought to capture dynamism and the energy of modern life through radical reworkings of form, perception, and expression.

In painting and sculpture, key figures included Umberto Boccioni, Giacomo Balla, Carlo Carrà, and Luigi Russolo, who extended Futurist ideas into new visual languages and, in Russolo’s case, into experimental sound with his Intonarumori. Architecture and design were influenced by visionary projects such as Antonio Sant’Elia’s utopian plans for industrial, machine-like cities. In literature, Futurists experimented with typography, fragmented syntax, and free verse to convey motion and speed.

Futurism spread beyond Italy, influencing Vorticism in Britain and various Russian and Balkan avant-garde movements, and contributing to experimental music, theatre, and graphic design. It produced numerous manifestos and periodicals, including Poesia and Lacerba, and organized exhibitions and performances that celebrated mechanization, urban experience, and youth.

The movement declined after World War I, as members dispersed into other artistic currents or aligned, sometimes contentiously, with nationalist and fascist politics. Its legacy remains debated: it helped reshape attitudes toward technology and modern life while also attracting criticism for militant rhetoric and political associations. Nevertheless, Futurism remains a significant reference in the study of early 20th-century art, literature, and design.