Beyond Anarchism

1. Beyond Anarchism Marinetti, Futurism, Futurist Anarchism University College of London (UK), dept. of Italian, 3.12.2008 Marja Härmänmaa, University of Helsinki, Finland / University of Cambridge, Clare Hall College

2. ”A visit” • In 1865 Mikhail Bakunin went to Naples • Creation of Bakunin’s Anarchist ideology • Foundation of Anarchist movement in Italy • In 1900 the murder of King Umberto I

3. Conceptualization of Futurist Anarchism • Social utopia of Futurism? • The social meaning of Art? • The role of the artist in society?

4. Italy cradle of Anarchism • Mikhail Bakunin (1814 – 1876) • Errico Malatesta (1853-1932) • Economically a poor country • Disappointment of unification • Corruption of the political class • Cultural and political anarchism • D’Annunzio • Gian Pietro Lucini

5. Political radicalism & artistic anarchism • Associated around the mid 19th century • Changed artistic institution • New autonomy of arts and artists • Critique of middle class society and its materialistic values • France: Symbolism and Impressionism

6. Marinetti’s early social interests • Le Roi Bombance (1905) • Social revolution (led by the socialists Filippo Turati and Antonio Labriola) • Before the IWW • Against the politics of Giolitti • Connections with extra pariamentary groups • George Sorel and the theory of the use of violence

7. Marinetti and Anarchism • Theme of ’destruction’ in the first works • La conquête des étoiles (1902) • Destruction (1904) • In Paris in contact with the Anarchists • Abbaye de Créteil, utopistic community of anarchist artists

8. Futurist anarchy • Foundation of Futurism (1909): • ”the most aggressive revolt of the modern man towards the past and the present time” • Artistic anarchism • Against the artistic tradition • Rupture of the artistic tradition in Modernism (partly) caused by the diffusion of anarchist ideas in arts

9. ”Conferenza su l’amore del pericolo e l’eroismo quotidiano” (1910) • “E voi, forse, non avete ancora un concetto esatto di ciò che siamo e di quel che vogliamo. Immaginate nella malinconica e stagnante repubblica delle lettere e delle arti un gruppo di giovani assolutamente ribelle e demolitore che stanco di adorare il passato, nauseato dal pedantismo accademico, avido di originalità temeraria e anelante verso una vita avventurosa, energica e quotidianamente eroica, sgombrare l’anima italiana da quel amasso [sic] di pregiudizi di luoghi comuni, di rispetti e di venerazioni che noi chiamiamo il passatismo. Insomma: degli anarchici in arte, ecco che cosa sono i futuristi.”

10. Reasons to deny the past • Judeo-christian conception of linear time • Advent of the “macchina” had broken the chain of linear time • Beginning of a new era • Past did not exist

11. ”Prefazione futurista a ’Revolverate’ di Gian Pietro Lucini” (1910) • ”Il presente non mai come in questi tempi apparve staccato dalla catena genetica del passato, figlio di sé stesso e generatore formidabile delle potenze future”

12. Versions of Anarchism • Enlightenment • William Godwin (1756 – 1836) • Peter Kropotkin (1842 – 1921) • A perfect society  communism • Romanticism • Mikhail Bakunin (1814 – 1876) • Max Stirner (1806 – 1856) • Individual anarchism

13. Individual Anarchism • Max Stirner: • Der Einzige und sein Eigenthum (1844) • No interest towards society nor towards the arts • Importance of the individual as ’ego’ against everything • All social institutions (government, church..) are artificial concepts and thus false authorities

14. Individual aestheticism • Artist produces his uniqueness in art • Individualist makes art out of his own personality • Egoist makes art to promote himself • Partly explains the heterogeneity of modernist culture

15. ’Futurism’ as a work of art • In order to promote Marinetti • Absolute leader of the movement • Mafarka il futurista (1910) • Mafarka = Marinetti • Gazourmah = Futurism

16. Nihilism of Cultural modernism • Matei Calinescu: • Otherness and change important • Tradition of ”antitradition” • Future way out of rotten present, son of the past • When future moment is reached, it becomes present moment • Continuous destruction / rejection

17. Futurist nichilism in arts • Faith in progress • Guerra sola igiene del mondo (1915) • ”Abbiate fiducia nel progresso, che ha sempre ragione, anche quando ha torto, perché è il movimento, la vita, la lotta, la speranza.” • Principle of eternal development • Nothing is supposed to last • Works of art are to be destroyed when they are ready

18. L’Aeroplano del Papa (1912) • ”Sono incessantemente commisto alle mie scorie. La mia vita è la fusione perpetua dei miei frantumi. Distruggo per creare ed ancora distruggo per modellare statue tonanti che subito spezzo con lo schifo e il terrore di vederle durare!”

19. Futurist nichilism in politics • Before WW1 no social utopia • Principle of the eternal development • Ideal: the everlasting state of war • ”War, world’s sole hygiene”

20. Futurist political activity • Marinetti’s growing interest towards politics after WW1 • First political manifesto (1913) • Futurist political party (1918) • Democrazia futurista (1919) • Al di là del comunismo (1920)

21. Modernizing Italy • Abolition of Pope, monarchy, parliament and marriage • A government of technicians in power with a council of Young people • 8-hours working day

22. ”Futurist Anarchist State” • Final result of the political program • An apolitical anarchistic utopia • No class struggle • ”Al di là del comunismo” • Instead of the proletariat, a spiritual aristocracy that has the right to realize the Italian revolution

23. ”Artecrazia” • Jean Grave (1854 – 1939) • La societé mourante et l’anarchie (1892) • Anarchy is art • Art = supreme form of individualism • The main duty of an anarchist society is to produce culture • Oscar Wilde

24. D’Annunzio and Fiume • The Republic of Fiume (1919 - 1920) • La Carta del Carnaro • Free university • Academy of fine arts • Schools of music • In every municipality an orchestra and a choir subsidized by the State and giving free concerts

25. Marinetti’s version • Al di là del comunismo (1920) • ”Art is an alcohol that gives optimism to citizens” • Number of artists must increase -> race of artists • In every city a centre of genius • Every month new exhibitions of art and poetry readings. • Music: in every piazza a choir and an orchestra • Life must become a work of art

26. Goodbye, anarchy! • ”Il Futurismo è un movimento schiettamente artistico ed ideologico. Interviene nelle lotte politiche soltanto nelle ore di grave pericolo per la Nazione.” (Futurismo e Fascismo, 1924)

27. Avant-garde and totalitarianism • Mussolini in power in 1922 • Changed position of Futurism from antagonism to collaboration with the State • Important position in the artistic life of the Fascist Italy (Venice Biennale…) • Marinetti member of l’Accademia d’Italia • Marinetti wrote 2-3 articles in the Italian Encyclopedia about Futurism • Marinetti a special propagandist of the State in case of war

28. Anarchist art • Difficult to define • Artistic anarchy towards society? • Artistic anarchy within the tradition of art? • Kropotkin and Pierre-Joseph Proudhon: • Art must serve the revolution • Documentary meaning: Social realism

29. Fascist art policy • Discussion started immediately when Mussolini became prime minister • Futurists wanted a strict artistic policy • Political dictatorship – artistic dictatorship • Futurism as the official art of Fascism • Futurism had collaborated in the foundation of Fascism (1919) • Fascist Italy a modern State – a need of a modern art

30. Art and anarchist society • Kropotkin: • Artist represented the conscience of humanity • Artist was able to change social reality

31. Futurist art and society • Marinetti: • ”art and literature have an enormous influence upon society” • Art as a tool of social activity • Rejection of the conception ”art for art’s sake” • Social role of artist • Social role of arts

32. ”Arte – vita” • Introduction of life in arts • Easy to understand • Art in direct contact with life (antiacademic) • Profanation of the Enlightened middle-class concept of ”sublime art” • Create corageously ”ugly” • Spite on the althare of the arts • Abolition of the boundaries between art – non art • New art forms: cuisine • New elements to arts: sport

33. Futurists and the Fascist art • Impossibility to detach from the socio-political reality: • ”The political spirit that Mussolini has created is so impressive that the artists could not escape its influence.” • The propagandistic aim of art: • ”Art must serve a universal, political or nationalistic aim.”

34. Aerofuturism • Glorification of the airplanes and aviation • Propaganda of the technological progress of Italy • Nationalistic reasons • The spiritual element of flight: non-materialistic dimension of technology

36. Gerardo Dottori: Aeropittura, 1930’s

37. Aeropittura di Tato, Dinamismo aereo, 1930’s

39. ”Some strategies to disturb the order” • Anarchism = antagonistic ideology • Avant-garde = aesthetic dimension • Terrorism = strategy of realization

40. Anarchism, now? • Italy: reorganization of the anarchist movement in 1945 (Federazione anarchica italiana, FAI) • Wikipedia: anarcho-capitalism, green anarchism, anarca-feminism, anarco-primitivism…

41. Bourgeois anarchy • Internet: cradle of anarchism, no authority • Collapse of Soviet Union • Growing power of multi-national enterprises • Nation States’ diminishing power • ”Umanità cammina verso l’individualismo anarchico, mèta e sogno d’ogni spirito forte” (Marinetti, 1920)

42. Futurist Anarchism now (1909-2009)? • Marinetti’s anarchist strategy • Colourful language • Artistic and extra-artistic manifestations • Aiming at getting attention and at hiding a mediocre writer • Model of the modern intellectual • Television series (The Idols) • Politics (Berlusconi, Lega Nord)

43. Thanks! ”In everyone of us there is a little Anarchist… at least occasionally!” (M.H.)