Why Italy

Comparison of Italian Futurism vs. Russian Futurism; does anyone champion Russian claims of originality?

I've always been intrigued by those twin strains of Futurism, Italian and Russian. The fact that they were art movements that had a political influence(especially Italian Futurism), the fact that they were crystalized in poetic thought, the fact that they took as their cue the speed of change in industrialized society, all of this amazes me. Italian Futurism, being first on the scene, claimed proprietary rights over the Russian brand; that is, on a purely artistic--not political--basis, and this was a claim volubly disputed by Mayakovsky, Lunacharsky, Kulbin, Burliuk, and most of the rest of the Russian Futurists. In fact, when F.T. Marinetti visited Russia, he was not well received. I must, however, give credit for the original ideas of Futurism to the Italians. Marinetti's Futurist Manifesto predated the Russian's "Slap To The Public's Taste"(The Russian Futurist Manifesto) by two years. Are there any partisans for the Russian claims, and what reasons do they give?

Public Comments

1. I am a woman of my word. Being that I was not a study in the art of futurism, I had to "read-up" on it a little. I found it quite interesting that futurism in Russian and Italian art also included gastronomy...Italians being the artistic chefs that they are! And that the plane, automobile, and also the industrial city are all included in this futuristic ideal. The Italian poet Filippo Marinetti was the first to idealize Futurism with his philosophy, "The Manifesto of Futurism", so I believe the Russians are wrong in their claim.
2. WOW you are way over my head! I feel really stupid about art now. I have looked over some art books on Russian jewelry ( I design my own) and I found them to be some VERY original works of art! Sorry I'm not more knowledgeable. but I did follow through on my offer to find your question and give it my best answer. Love is the answer, Pandora
3. Hi Jack, is this the question you wanted me to check out? I'm sorry for my ignorance, but I just don't know anything about art. P.S. I do like the Mona Lisa, though. LOL
4. I read your complaint and figured I'd add to your responses, although I'm not particularly well read on either subject. The idea of assigning proprietary rights based on publications of manifestos ect. has always disturbed me as ideas seem to migrate through human populations with no regard for Nationalism. Society was rapidly changing throughout the world. Most likely the Russian futurists were responding to this long before they wrote a manifesto and resent the idea that a date of publication could invalidate a homegrown reaction to social change and aesthetic, or worse yet brand it as an Italian import. The Marinetti manifesto was most likely inspirational to them at first, but failed to address the aspects of social change that were unique to Russia. They were likely to be in a unique process of interpreting these changes to suit their own aesthetic. Across the world art movements were unilaterally rejecting the historical tradition in their own ways, as evidenced in Art Nouveau and early Modernism in other parts of the west. Later I believe the Russians argued not so much that they were first, but that they owed nothing to the Italians. I think there is some credibility to that claim because most likely the manifesto was incorporated into an existing body of Russian thought. Furthermore, the implication that one society could 'claim dibs' on an idea only acknowledges the transition into a modern era. Ideas could travel quickly enough for their local originality to be disputed, and the world was small enough to allow two countries to vie for the claim. So I'll end this rambling post with a quote: "There are no original ideas. There are only original people." --Barbara Grizzuti Harrison
5. Too bad they were all Fascists Jack . Look I know that you know more than me here but -True Marinetti was not well received by the Russian Futurists they thought they did not -owe him anything. However I would not imagine that there would be much support for the Russion claims but then again - the russion movement was primarily literary - During Marinetti's visit to Russia, Khlebnikov emphasized that the Russian version of futurism differed entirely from that of the Italians. To honor Marinetti would be a backward step in cleansing all Russian culture of foreign influence .The poet Khlebnikov, and artists Larionov and Natalia Goncharova, was engaged from about 1906 until the outbreak of war in 1914. in anti western sentiment - so it seem to me that it was more to do with a deep rooted national pride. If you keep asking these questions we are in danger of being educated here.
6. okay Jack, you've showed off real good. yeah, your smart, we know, okay? Your head's going to get so big it won't fit thru the door.