Synthesis of Telegraphic and Telephonic Communications 1934

Benedetta Cappa made this painting, 'Synthesis of Telegraphic and Telephonic Communications', with cool blues and greens, geometric and architectural shapes, overlaid by delicate curvilinear forms. I can imagine her, in the studio, layering on the washes of colour, wiping them back, building up the image bit by bit, each section a different perspective, a different idea. The telegraphic and telephonic communications of the title are represented by the wavy lines which act a bit like musical notations, or the contours of a landscape. It is kind of Futurist. It reminds me of Giacomo Balla and Umberto Boccioni, those early 20th century Italian painters, but it is also something of its own. The way that Benedetta uses thin layers of paint gives a feeling of light and airiness. It's like she's trying to capture the feeling of the modern world, the way that technology is connecting us all in new and exciting ways. She is in a conversation with the other Futurist painters who were interested in dynamism and speed, but she is also bringing her own unique sensibility.