Page 32 - Studio International - July August 1975

Bragaglia's

Futurist

Photodynamism

Caroline Tisdall and Angelo Bozzolla
Giannetto Bisi
Photodynamic Portrait of Boccioni, c. 1915
In 1913 the futurist movement was October 1st, came a sour note signed by particular interest, since they highlight
looking around for new recruits. the six painter-members of the some of the contradictions inherent in
Innovation in the established and Milanese futurist group : Boccioni, the attitudes of members of a self-
traditional fields of the arts was eagerly Carra, Russolo, Balla, Severini and confessedly modernist group once their
approved, but a whole range of urban Soffici. 'Warning. Given the general ideas began to recognize predictable
essentials and twentieth-century media ignorance in matters of art, we futurist limits. Breaks with the past were one
were not represented.' On July 1st, painters declare that everything referred thing, but this statement of disassociation
however, an advertisement that appeared to as "photodynamic" has to do with developments in photography
on the penultimate page of Lacerba, exclusively with innovations in the field suggests that the overturning of traditional
the bi-monthly futurist newspaper, of photography. Such purely hierarchies and prejudices where high
seemed to announce the affiliation of the photographic researches have nothing and low art were concerned was quite
most modern art of photography, not to do with the PLASTIC DYNAMISM another. Bragaglia in fact never accepted
just as technique, but as an artform: invented by us, nor with any form of the label of photographer, and considered
`Published yesterday: Futurist dynamic research in the fields of painting, his works as a new form of painting. But
Photodynamism by Anton Giulio sculpture or architecture.' the curious case of his exclusion resulted
Bragaglia with 16 magnificent plates. So was started or finished another in defensive behaviour on his part, and
Special introductory price for this chapter in the long tale of ideological this is still continued by his daughter
luxury edition: 10 soldi.' wrangling and jostling for status that has Antonella in the running of the elusive
No further mention of this new step marked the course of twentieth-century Centro Studi Bragaglia in Rome.
into modern times was made until the painting and photography. In terms of Anton Giulio Bragaglia belonged to
autumn. Then, again in Lacerba on Futurism the issues raised are of the second-generation futurist mentality.

Young Man Swinging, 1912

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