Giacomo Balla was a pioneering figure of European Modernism and the undeniable master of Modern Italian Art. His Futurist paintings convey an impression of dynamic movement, through subject matters including scurrying dachshunds, violinists’ hands and speeding vehicles. Featuring 116 works, this Estorik Collection retrospective also includes Balla’s less well-known figurative paintings and drawings, as well as applied art and fashion-related
designs.
A significant amount of his own later Futurist work was carried out in the sphere of the applied arts, and his painterly style also became increasingly decorative. In 1937 he distanced himself from the movement, claiming that “pure art is to be found in absolute realism”, and continued to employ a more traditional, figurative vocabulary for the remainder of his career.
Giacomo Balla: Designing the Future. Estorick Collection, London, 5 April – 25 June 2017
