Aeropittura 1925

Benedetta Cappa made this artwork, Aeropittura, with an unknown medium, at an unknown date. The artwork is visually striking, presenting an abstract composition that evokes the sensation of flight. But, how might this relate to its wider social and cultural context? The image creates meaning through its dynamic shapes and forms, and the title, Aeropittura, offers a clue. It translates to "Aeropainting." This artwork was likely made in Italy, sometime in the first half of the 20th century. Aeropittura was a strand of Italian Futurism, and thus tied to that movement's social vision. Futurists embraced technology and speed. The movement originally promoted war as a means of social change, and was subsequently linked to the rise of Fascism in Italy. To understand this work better, we might look at manifestos and publications from the Futurist movement. Art, as we can see, is contingent on social and institutional contexts.