Western Painting - Russian Futurism - Russia's Artistic Prelude to Science and Technology

The ConceptThe Artist
Russian Futurism was an artistic movement in theMost of the Futurist artists also wrote poetry
fields of literature and Visual Arts that hit Russia in(Velimir Khlebnikov, Vladimir Mayakovsky, David
the early 20th century. Russian Futurism took itsBurlyuk, Alexei Kruchenykh, & Elena Guro)
cues from the famous manifesto published by anand were musicians too (Nikolai Kulbin, Vladimir
Italian poet Fillip Marinetti (1876-1944) on the frontBaranoff-RossinÐ~, & Mikhail Matiushin).
page of the February 20, 1909, issue of theThey mutually understood that with their
French daily newspaper Le Figaro. Inspired by thisunderstanding of Futurism as an art form was
manifesto, a group of Russian poets and artistsdetermining the man of the future. Natalia
formally adopted the ideology of Marinetti'sGoncharova, Mikhail Larionov, Kazimir Malevich,
manifesto in December 1912, under the leadershipPavel Filonov, Olga Rozanova, Nikolai Kulbin, and
of Ukrainian artist David Burlyuk (1882-1967).Alexandra Exter also paid tribute to Russian
Futurism at some junctures of their careers.
In comparison to its Western counterpart, RussianDavid Burlyuk, so-called "vicar of Russian
Futurism is an esoteric and little-known trend.Futurism," stood at the core of this galaxy of
However, it was an enormously momentousRussian futuristic stars. One of the finest
movement in Russia, leaving its marks both, in artexamples of Russian Futuristic works is David
forms (theatre, graphic art, painting, &Burlyuk's 'Glass Eye,' a unique representation of
poetry) and public life. The Russian Futuriststhe Futurist view of the world. The exhibition at
named themselves 'Budetlyane' - people of thethe Russian Museum consisted of some two
future.hundred works of art - painting, graphic,
The Detailsdecorative & applied art, book graphics,
Notwithstanding the apparent resemblance flankedarchive documents, and sculptures of these
by Russian and European Futurism, each had itsartists. Poster of 'Victory over the Sun' by El
own style, displaying the nation's local traditionsLissitzky's and 'Cyclist' (1913) by Natalia
and outlook. One of the distinctive qualities ofGoncharova are a couple of other Russian
Russian Futurism was the merger of all probableFuturism milestones.
styles and trends - "everythingism," as defined byConclusion
French Futurist poet Ilya Zdanevich(born 1913).The movement began to decline after the
The setback of one common approach was notrevolution of 1917. Some Futurists died, others
encouraged. They espoused speed, technology,emigrated. Although considered extinct, Russian
& violence, and was pictured as celebratingFuturism still powerfully echoes in the modern,
the technological, future era and its triumphs overpopular culture and art of Russia. As David
nature. Highly influenced by Cubanism, RussianBurlyuk rightly summarized it, "Russian Futurism is
Futurism even went beyond the techniques ofnot a school, it is a new disposition.
Cubanism.