Futurist Sculpture: EC

"Unique Forms of Continuity and Space

The Futurist movement, as it bloomed throughout the early 20th century, was not only limited to certain styles of art.  Their beliefs on dynamism, speed, and motion stretched from architecture, to art, and eventually to sculpture.  To the right I have an image from Umberto Boccioni, who was a student under Giacomo Balla, the same artist of Abstract Sound + Speed. This piece is called 'Unique Forms of Continuity in Space.'  Now I can't give all the credit to the futurist ideals because Boccioni also studied for a long period in France with the impressionist style but his work falls in with the futurist category.  The sculpture is one of the most iconic images of the human body in motion. The waviness of the form gives to the idea of motion in a static sense.  It is representing the thought of the legs movement from point a to b.  The high flame like extension of the sculpture above the calf would be the location of the heel at point as.  The bulkier and more static section that comes in to contact with the ground would be the location of point b as the heel strikes the ground.  The dynamism of the angles works to make the figure abstract more-so to the ideals of dynamism and motion than the ideal of the human anatomy.  I believe that is also why the piece has no arms.  The strong and aerodynamic form represents futuristic ideals mixed with a slight hint at impressionism. 

Until next time.