In 1909, an Italian artistic collective looked to the future and began producing propulsive works of abstract art and performance that glorified the speed, violence, and innovation made possible by modern technology. The collective was known, appropriately, as the Futurists and they denounced museums, libraries, and the feminine, contending these had impeded Italy’s launch into the modern age.

We’ll explore the artworks with which they expanded the boundaries of the avant-garde—and aligned themselves with Italy’s rising Fascist movement. We’ll question how Benedetta Cappa, a woman at the forefront of the movement, reconciled its professed misogyny, as well as whether we, as viewers, can celebrate the work of artists whose politics are morally repugnant. We’ll also illuminate the similarities and differences between Futurism and the work of Robert Williams, on view at BAM in The Father of Exponential Imagination.

The Loggia Lecture Series is inspired by the Italian loggia, an outdoor space for engaging others in conversation or simply admiring the artfulness of the passing world. Each Loggia Lecture illuminates a significant art history topic that dovetails with an exhibition at BAM, creating opportunities for lively discussion throughout.

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