Bruno Munari: My Futurist Past at Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art

Bruno Munari (1907-1998) played a pioneering role in the evolution of 20th century art and design, his work exerting an influence that stretched far beyond the borders of Italy. Munari described the roots of his work as his 'Futurist past', and the movement’s ambitious scope - aiming at nothing less than a 'reconstruction of the universe' -ertainly informed his kaleidoscopic areer, leading him to work across a range of media and disciplines from ainting to photomontage, sculpture, graphics, film and art theory. However, is influences were extremely varied, also reflecting the aesthetics and sensibilities of Constructivism, Dada and Surrealism. In 1933 he created the first of his celebrated 'useless machines' - works which anticipated Tingley's experiments and the development of kinetic art, as well as exemplifying his irreverent attitude and love of irony, which was also to be manifested in later concepts such as the 'unreadable books' and the series of 'original xerographs'.