Futurist Juxtapositions

Rome is full of hidden gems, places that are only discovered on meandering walks, or when mentioned casually by a friend. Some of the best spots in town are the ones that are off the tourist radar, the ones that don’t show up in top search engine results.

 

The Futurism & Co gallery is one of those treasures, and their current show “Analogie” (Analogies) makes the point. Inside this petite gallery space, where sliding “walls” reveal bonus artworks, this show powerfully juxtaposes futurist works with modern ones by renowned masters. Francesca Carpi, the gallery’s co-owner, knows each piece like a child, and her passion is contagious.

 

Hung in pairings that suggest a synergy between the artists, the curation by Andrea Baffoni exudes a brilliant creativity. The show’s accompanying catalogue illuminates his approach and provides a deep context for the show’s organization.

…certain forms should remain implicit, so as to allow the observer’s mind to be the privileged place of their concrete birth…” (Gleizes and Metzinger – from the Analogie catalogue).

Attending the opening (view the Moving Portrait of the experience here), I found myself flickering back and forth between the works – the styles of the masters – desiring to compare them on the spot. These artists were contemporaries – and while they may not have acknowledged their own innovations and stylistic movements at the time, like the artists of today, overlap is inevitable. The visual trends – in line, color, emerge later, offering themselves to the observer’s mind.

Another special part of this show is that the works are all from private collections, new to the public eye – and yours!