Vivien Greene, Senior Curator, 19th- and Early 20th-Century Art, describes the historical context of a major avant-garde of the 20th century in this video and offers insight into the design and planning of the exhibition Italian Futurism, 1909–1944: Reconstructing the Universe. This multidisciplinary exhibition—the first comprehensive overview of Italian Futurism to be presented in the United States—examines the movement from its inception with F. T. Marinetti’s Futurist manifesto in 1909 through its demise at the end of World War II. Presenting over 360 works executed between 1909 and 1944, the chronological exhibition encompasses not only painting and sculpture, but also advertising, architecture, ceramics, design, fashion, film, free-form poetry, music, performance, photography, publications, and theater. Greene takes the viewer through specific moments and key themes, ending on Benedetta Cappa Marinetti’s series of large-scale murals that are installed for the first time outside of Italy.

For more information, visit Italian Futurism, 1909–1944: Reconstructing the Universe.