Filippo Marinetti

Filippo Marinetti was born in Italy on December 22, 1876, but moved around Europe frequently as a child. He is was a writer and the creator of the Futurist movement. Futurism is an art form which focuses on originality, energy, youth, danger, and movement. Manifeste de Futurisme or Manifesto of Futurism was Marinetti’s first publication about Futurism and was just the beginning of the movement. Besides writing about it, Marinetti also toured around Europe and gave lectures about Futurism and other similar ideals. Marinetti’s writing style was very unique; it lacked conventional syntax, grammar, and punctuation and his arrangement of words seemed to form pictures. He was also involved in political activism. Mussolini and Italy’s involvement in both World Wars were very important to him. On December 2, 1944, Marinetti died at age 67.

[filippo-marinetti]

1932

La Cucina Futurista is my own cookbook that is based on Futurist ideas. I believe that food is an artform and, therefore, is forever changing. Food, or eating, is an experience and is performance art. A few specifics in my cookbook include the abolition of pasta, knives, and forks. We should not eat food just for the sake of eating, but to enjoy ourselves and experience new things. There should be many flavors, colors, smells, and textures coming together to create a piece of art. One of my favorite parts of La Cucina Futurista is the Tactile Garden. It is a large array of greens and vegetables, cooked and raw, which is eaten without hands. To experience the Tactile Garden, you must embrace the plants while waiters spray you with lavender and other perfumes. Some people may think my cookbook is crazy, but I believe it shows how to enjoy food in the best way possible.

[filippo-marinetti]

1931

Here I sit with a few guests at the Futurist Table. Although I began the movement, it is important not to give me all of the credit for its development. Many other friends and artists wrote their own Futurist manifestos and created art that made Futurism what it is now. The people in this particular photo were not any more important to me than other artists, and my memory is escaping me about who they are. I am third to the right in this photo and I am talking to my butler, probably about one of my Futurist meals.

[filippo-marinetti]

1914

I am angry. Writing should never be limited to rules and restraints. That is why I am starting a much-need typographic revolution. Art is always moving and changing and making pictures and shapes. My writing will never look the same as anyone else's writing because I make the font and design completely different every time I write something new. Why should it ever be the same? Art is free and cannot be stifled. I am declaring war on classic, old fashioned art starting now.

[filippo-marinetti]

1914

Even after publishing Manifeste de Futurisme, I continued to write about what Futurism means to me. Zang Tumb Tumb is an extended poem about a siege in the Balkan War, but the subject is not the point of this book. I wrote freely, with many different fonts, arrangements and writing forms. My writing in Zang Tumb Tumb is pictorial and crazy, which is exactly what Futurism is all about.

[filippo-marinetti]

February 1915

Although I have a deep love for writing, I decided to switch things up and make a collage. I stayed true to my passion, though, and included words in this piece. It is titled "Vive la France." I created it with ink, crayon, and printed paper that I cut and pasted onto paper. It is now featured in the Museum of Modern Art.

[filippo-marinetti]

February 20, 1909

One of my proudest moments was when my Manifeste de Futurisme was published in Le Figaro, a great French newspaper. My manifesto contained the first ideas about the Futurism movement, which included energy, youth, originality, danger, and mechanization. I wanted to be very clear about what Futurism is all about and I think I did a good job of that. After this publication, many other artists began supporting and writing about Futurism. This was just the beginning...