Synthesis of Radio Communications 1934

Benedetta Cappa made this image of radio waves using a really intriguing, monochromatic palette. I mean, it’s mostly blues, but somehow there’s a whole world of difference between them! It’s hard to know exactly how Cappa made this, but I think it’s interesting how the shapes seem very flat, while also suggesting depth. The paint is very thin in places and you can see the weave of the canvas coming through. In a way, the painting becomes like a blueprint for the radio technology it’s depicting. I love how the ladder-like structure in the center cuts through the image, almost defying the soft, curvy shapes around it. It’s like a symbol of human intervention in the natural world. Cappa was part of the Futurist movement, which was all about celebrating technology and speed. But here, there’s also a sense of wonder, of trying to understand these invisible forces that connect us all. It reminds me of Hilma af Klint, who was also exploring unseen realms, trying to make them visible through art.