Futurism's Performance Legacy: From Marinetti to Mixed Reality

A recent debate at the exhibition 'Il tempo del futurismo' in Rome explored the movement's enduring influence on performance art. Guglielmo Gigliotti argued that while some Futurists supported fascism, the movement retains ideological autonomy. Claudia Salaris, author of 'Il futurismo: l'avanguardia delle avanguardie', urged focus on its artistic contributions. Roselee Goldberg, author of 'Performance Art from Futurism to the Present', noted the ethical implications of Marinetti's ideas. The article traces Futurist innovations—synthetic theater, parole in libertà, onomatopoeia, and multisensory serate—as precursors to later performance art. Key figures include Valentine de Saint-Point, Giannina Censi, Benedetta Cappa, Giacomo Balla, Umberto Boccioni, and Fortunato Depero. Their experiments influenced Robert Rauschenberg, Laurie Anderson, Claes Oldenburg, Meredith Monk, Jan Fabre, Matthew Barney, Stelarc, Yoko Ono, Nam June Paik, Marina Abramović, and others. The serate futuriste at Teatro Chiarella in Torino combined poetry, manifestos, painting, and experimental music. The article also cites Nicolas Bourriaud's 'Relational Aesthetics' on audience participation. Contemporary performers like Francesca Arri, Ginevra Napoleoni, Massimiliano Siccardi, and Francesca Fini continue this legacy. The piece was written by Lori Adragna for Artribune.