Elasticity 1912

Curator: "Elasticity," an oil on canvas created in 1912 by Umberto Boccioni, a prominent figure in the Italian Futurist movement. It currently resides at the Palazzo Brera in Milan. Editor: Woah, I get a chaotic burst of energy from this. It's like trying to capture a feeling, or a sound, or a moment that's gone as soon as you look at it. Everything’s fracturing and reforming simultaneously, and I’m oddly drawn in. Curator: Absolutely. Boccioni and the Futurists were obsessed with portraying motion, speed, and dynamism in their art. Look at how he breaks down the subject into fragmented geometric forms and swirling lines. You sense the force and vitality; not just the depiction of movement, but an embodiment of it. Editor: The color palette is unexpectedly warm, isn't it? Lots of ochre, reds, and yellows that give it this sun-baked intensity. It's not just about raw power; there’s also an earthly, almost sensual quality that sneaks in through the back door. Is that deliberate, do you think? Curator: It is hard to interpret Boccioni´s intentionality for sure. We know the Futurists aimed to glorify modernity, celebrating technology, industry, and even war, which in their mindset brought acceleration. This “elasticity,” the capability of objects to change and deform when subjected to force, mirrors this radical embrace of modernity´s transformative potential. Notice the stylized form of the horse. It symbolizes raw animal power, and possibly war. Editor: Yes, I see it. But it doesn’t feel triumphant or violent to me so much as... caught up. Like everything is being reshaped, human, animal, nature, to conform to an inescapable forward momentum. There´s almost something plaintive about it. Is this force progressing us somewhere worthwhile or do we simply watch ourselves being torn apart. Curator: A provocative and worthwhile idea. It invites reflections of continuous transformation of cultural memory across time and through images that have a strong cultural and psychological impact. Editor: A powerful viewing experience to sit with; a fragmented vision that lingers as a vibrant presence.