Marinetti and the Roots of Futurism

Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, an early 20th-century Italian poet, founded the futurist movement rooted in the idea of embracing modernity and technological advancement. His 1909 Futurist Manifesto declared that the future was akin to a speeding car, illustrating that violent disruption was essential for radical change. Marinetti's work inspired artists like Salvador Dali, who sought to depict a world dominated by machinery, war, and industrialization, moving away from the gentleness of 19th-century art. The futurists aimed to reflect their tumultuous times through aggressive and abstract artistic expressions, signaling the beginning of what we now recognize as modern art.