Enzo Benedetto
Biography
Enzo Benedetto (1905-1993): painter, writer, sculptor, visual poet, editor
Born on November 10, 1905 in Reggio Calabria, Italy. Due to the terrible Messina 1908 earthquake he relocated to Naples where he attended the high school. In 1923, through a chance reading of “Zang Tumb Tumb”, he decided to contact Filippo Tommaso Marinetti and he joined the Futurist movement.
“These weights thicknesses noises smells molecular whirlwinds chains webs corridors of analogies rivalries and synchronisms offered offered offered offered up as a gift to my Futurist friends poets painters musicians and noise intoners.”
(F.T. Marinetti, the closing verse of “Zang Tumb Tuuum”, 1914)
In 1924 he founded in Reggio Calabria the Futurist periodical “Originalità”, the title of which had been suggested by Marinetti himself.
In August Marinetti invited him to the first Futurist congress in Milan. He also wrote “Parolibere” (words-in-freedom) poems and “Cromoparolibere”.
In 1926, thanks to him, the Futurist movement was represented in the “IV Biennale Nazionale Calabrese”.
At the same period he was present at the Palermo “Mostra d’Arte Futurista Nazionale” organized by Pippo Rizzo and promoted by the Sicilian Futurist Group with, among others, Prampolini, Balla, Tato, Fillia, Farfa, Marasco, Dalmonte. Here his “De Pinedo” aeropainting was shown.
He moved to Rome in 1927. In the same year Fortunato Depero included him in the list of futurist artists in the Bolted Book “Depero Futurista” published in Milan by Dinamo – Azari (the aviator and painter Fedele Azari); according to “Wired” magazine “one of the world’s most iconic design books”.
In 1928 he exhibited with Balla, Fillia, Prampolini, Pozzo, Farfa at “Grande Mostra d’Arte Futurista” in Imola organized by M.G. Dal Monte with recitation of poems performed by Marinetti and Azari.
In 1929 he showed in “Trentatre Futuristi” with, among others, Bot, Dalmonte, Diulgheroff, Dottori, Farfa, Fillia, Gambini, Marasco, Munari, Oriani, Tato, Thayaht at Galleria Pesaro in Milan, presented by F.T. Marinetti.
“Futurist painting is not academic, it is not subject to artistic preconceptions or established measures. The general public, thus far indifferent or hostile, will have to be convinced on the sincerity of our art, the most modern of all.”
(Pippo Rizzo, exh. cat. Mostra d’Arte Futurista Nazionale, Palermo, June 1927)
In 1930 his science-fiction novel “Viaggio al pianeta Marte” (Journey to the planet Mars) appeared in the newspaper “Il Popolo di Calabria”.
He took part in “Prima Mostra d’arte regionale calabrese” in Rome and the same year in “Grande Mostra Futurista” at the International Artistic Club in via Margutta in Rome with a memorable speech from Marinetti.
During that time he kept on contributing to newspapers and magazines.
In 1931 he adhered to the Manifesto dell’Aeropittura signed by Balla, Benedetta, Depero, Dottori, Fillia, Marinetti, Prampolini, Somenzi, Tato.
He was captured during the Second World War and kept for six years in prison-camps in Egypt and India.
Yet even as prisoner of war he went on painting, sculpting and spreading Futurist ideas among his fellow prisoners.
Some canvases from this period will be brought back to Italy, rolled up as personal baggage, such as “Salto dell’Ostacolo” and “Danza Macabra”.
The sculptures will be almost totally destroyed, except for a few that were subsequently cast in bronze.
In 1942 in Yol he wrote the theoretical text “Quarta dimensione” (Fourth dimension).
In January 1945 in Yol he commemorated Marinetti’s death.
“...and the memory of that night in the Himalayan Mountains is fantastic. Hearing the echo of the Bombardment of Adrianople under the sky teeming with stars, which was recited simultaneously in three barracks of the three camps on the slopes of the great mountain, was very exciting. A wonderful memory that will forever be remembered.”
(Enzo Benedetto interview in Lambiase – Nazzaro, “Marinetti e i futuristi”, Garzanti Ed., Milano 1978)
By 1947 he was back in Italy and had his first solo exhibition at the Galleria di Roma: it’s the first declaredly Futurist show after the war. At the exhibition, dedicated to the founder of Futurismi and opened as a result by F.T. Marinetti’s wife and artist Benedetta Cappa, he presented his text “Quarta dimensione”.
Still shifting between his paintings and his work in advertising and graphics, he held a large personal show in Milan (Centro d’Arte San Babila) and took part in the Rome “VI Quadriennale”.
In 1951, he begins his collaboration with the artist Stefania Lotti, with whom he will share a studio for decades.
He took part with ceramics in “II Mostra selettiva dell’artigianato artistico” at “Angelicum” and with paintings in “Rassegna del Futurismo” in Milan.
He designed the sets for “Albertina” by Valentino Bompiani.
From 1958 to 1959 he edited and published in Rome the monthly review “Arte-Viva” which helped to keep alive interest in an avant-garde neglected by the critics of the period, also with a special issue dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Manifesto of Futurism with contributes from Depero, Marasco, Tato, Tongiani, Pettoruti and Delle Site.
In the early 60s he spent time in Munich and Paris (with his friend the Argentine master Emilio Pettoruti), repeatedly exhibiting in both cities.
He published the memoir “Tanti Anni”. Several exhibitions in Rome, Milan, Bologna, Venice. He took part with various works in the Italian Medal exhibition at Monnaie de Paris.
In June 1967 he came out with the declaration “Futurismo-Oggi” (Futurism-Today) which won the support of all the living futurists and many other artists.
Thus he began to publish the “Quaderni di Futurismo-Oggi”, reserved to futurist writers, words-in-freedom poetry and little-known and often previously unpublished theatrical syntheses in which Benedetto published “Controvento” (1974), “Lettera a Marinetti” (1978), “Omaggio a Majakovskij (1979), “Sodalizio con Marinetti” (1989).
He organized a series of Futurismo-Oggi collective exhibitions in different cities (Formia, Prato, Genoa, Lugo, etc). In 1969 he founded in Rome the periodical “Futurismo-Oggi” which he edited till 1992.
“The lack of interest in the ideas to which we dedicated all of our life compelled me to take an initiative to produce a collective declaration from the surviving Futurists. [...] So the Dichiarazione di Futurismo-Oggi was born.”
(Enzo Benedetto, “Futurismo centox100”, Arte-Viva, Rome 1975)
He moved to Oslo hosted by his friend, the designer and painter Ivo Pannaggi, author with Vinicio Paladini of the Manifesto of Futurist Mechanical Art (1922) and frequenter of the Bauhaus in Germany, the only Futurist aside from Nicolaj Diulgheroff to do so.
Published in one volume the sci-fi novel “Journey to the Planet Mars” (cover by Stefania Lotti). He took part in “Rassegna storica del Futurismo” at Galleria Schettini, Milan and to “I Aviation exhibition” at Palazzo Barberini, Rome.
In 1972 exhibited at Galleria Albatros in Rome introduced by Alberto Sartoris. “Rassegna di Maestri Futuristi” at Galleria Pinacoteca in Rome.
In 1973 he exhibited words-in-freedom in the visual poetry festival held at the Civic Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, Turin.
He took part in “Aerospace Experience” at Civic Gallery, Legnano. An expanded version of the theoretical text “Quarta dimensione – Dinamismo Plastico” (Fourth dimension – Plastic Dynamism) is published.
In 1974 solo shows in Lutry-Lausanne, Switzerland at the White Gallery introduced by Alberto Sartoris and in Trieste at Galleria Rettori Tribbio presented by da G.B. Sanzin.
In 1975 he set up the “Comitato Internazionale di onoranze a F.T. Marinetti” for the centenary of the poet’s birth, celebrated, on his suggestion, by a conference in the Capitol in Rome, and a series of twelve stamps for the envelope flap conceived by Futurist painters.
He conceived the book “Repertorio futuristi”, edited by Stefania Lotti: it’s the first effort to achieve an international dictionary on futurist artists.
He gave the closing speech for the “Colloque Marinetti” at UNESCO in Paris. He published “Almanacco Futurista 1978” in cooperation with over 100 futurists. He paid homage to Albert Einstein with an exhibition at Galleria P. 21, Rome.
"If today we were to once again appeal to the sense of continuity of invention in the field of futurism to prove that, in our time, it is the only current, the only ever-living, and effective international avant-garde "ism", we would firstly reference Enzo Benedetto."
(Alberto Sartoris, “Enzo Benedetto today” in exh. cat., Ministero Beni Culturali – University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Rome 1991)
In 1980 personal exhibition at Galerie N.R.A. in Paris and at Galleria Arte Struktura in Milan, organized and conceived by Carlo Belloli. Great solo show at “Maison de la Culture”, Amiens (France). He took part in “X Mostra Arte e Sport” at Palazzo Strozzi in Florence.
Solo and collective shows in Milan, Rome, Turin, Paris, Modena, Reggio Calabria, Arezzo, Positano, Genoa. In honour of his eightieth birthday the ISISUF (International Institute of Futurist studies) in Milan published the single issue “80 Benedetto 80” edited by Carlo Belloli.
In 1989 he’s involved in the show “Casa balla e il futurismo a Roma” at the French Academy at Villa Medici in Rome.
In 1990 he took part in collective shows “Aereopittura Futurista e Aeropittori” at Castel Sant’Elmo in Naples and “Futurism in Flight” at the Italian Academy of Arts and Applied Arts in London.
His enormous production was celebrated in Rome in 1991 in a retrospective exhibition at the monumental complex of San Michele a Ripa Grande organized by the Ministry of Culture and the University of Rome “La Sapienza” curated by Enrica Torelli Landini and set up project by architect Massimo Domenicucci.
In 1992 special event and exhibition “Festa a Benedetto” organized by Centro Antinoo in Rome.
Benedetto died on May 26, 1993 in Rome.
“To the end, this stubborn survivor, extreme supporter of an innovative season, will be a "futurist through and through", a cosmic visionary, a transporter of interior spaces, the guardian of a time without its own past because it is always aimed at the future; a future that advances as fast as the swirling crossing of an infinite flight.”
(Tonino Sicoli, “Benedetto futurista” in AA.VV., “Futuristi centoxcento Enzo Benedetto / Stefania Lotti, Convegno Studi, Tempio di Adriano, Centro Antinoo, Roma 2004)
Among the others, the people who have written the most about Enzo Benedetto are: Mario Verdone, Alberto Sartoris, Luigi Tallarico, Vittorio Orazi, Enrico Crispolti, Gino Agnese, Vittorio Cappelli, Carlo Belloli, Tonino Sicoli, Stefania Lotti, Georges de Canino, Giorgio Di Genova.
The most significant exhibitions were:
- Salone futurista alla “IV Biennale Calabrese” (1926).
- “Mostra d’Arte Futurista Nazionale” organizzata da Pippo Rizzo, Palermo 1927.
- “Grande mostra d’Arte Futurista”, organizzata da M.G. Dalmonte, Imola 1928.
- “Mostra Trentatre Futuristi” (introduzione di F.T. Marinetti), Galleria Pesaro, Milano 1929.
- Personale, Yol (India) 1944.
- Personale, Galleria Teatro delle Arti (con intervento di Benedetta Cappa Marinetti), Roma 1947.
- “Quindici Futuristi”, Palazzo Pretorio, Prato 1970.
- White Gallery, Losanna 1974.
- “Le second futurisme”, Galerie NRA, Paris 1980.
- “Futurism in Flight”, Accademia Italiana delle arti, Londra 1990.
- “Mostra antologica”, Complesso Monumentale S. Michele a Ripa, Ministero Beni Culturali, Roma 1991.
- “Futurismo e Meridione”, Palazzo Reale, Napoli 1996.
- “Futurismo 1909-1944”, Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Roma 2001.
- “Benedetto + Futurismo”, MAON – Museo d’arte dell’Otto e Novecento di Rende (Cosenza) 2004.
- “1937: Perfektion und Zerstörung”, Kunsthalle Bielefeld 2007.
- “Due pittori tra l’Argentina e l’Italia: Emilio Pettoruti ed Enzo Benedetto un’amicizia futurista”, Istituto Italo-Latino-Americano, Roma 2009.
- “FUTURISMO! da Boccioni all’Aeropittura” Fondazione Magnani Rocca, Mamiano di Traversetolo – Parma.
- “Vite Futuriste: Enzo Benedetto – Stefania Lotti”, Villa Mondragone, Centro Congressi Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Monte Porzio Catone 2015.
- In 2016 grand opening of the futurist permanent exhibition conceived by Roberto Bilotti at Museo del Presente in Rende (Cosenza) with several works by Benedetto.
- “Aeropittura la seduzione del volo”, Musei Civici agli Eremitani, Padova 2017
- “Balla Boccioni Depero. Costruire lo spazio del futuro”, Musei Civici di Palazzo San Francesco, Domodossola 2019.
