"TEN FUTURIST MARIONETTES" BY ENRICO PRAMPOLINI IN THE CONTEXT OF 1920s AVANT-GARDE SCENOGRAPHY

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to introduce the academic community to Enrico Prampolini's work “Ten Futurist Marionettes” (“Dieci burattini futuristi”, 1922) and highlight the peculiarities of his scenographic approach and original artistic ideas embodied in this series of puppets. E. Prampolini himself, as one of the leading ideologists of Italian Futurism of the “second wave,” deserves special attention, as his work covers a wide range of artistic practices – from painting, sculpture, and design to theatrical scenography. Born in Modena in 1894, E. Prampolini joined the Futurist movement at an early age and became one of the most prominent representatives of avant-garde art in the interwar period. In the 1910s and 1920s, the artist actively worked on renewing the theatrical language of the theater, viewing scenography as an autonomous artistic element capable of enhancing the dramaturgy of a performance. The artist developed his own artistic style and, through numerous theater projects, became one of the founders of futuristic stage design, significantly enriching its theoretical foundations and practical techniques. The cycle “Ten Futurist Marionettes” is a special project by the artist, demonstrating his vision of scenography as a holistic artistic object. Created in 1922, these dolls became a unique experiment on the borderline between sculpture, theater, and political satire. They combined construction and living form, abstraction and human features. Space, movement, light, and sound were not just a backdrop, but “living” components that created a holistic artistic image. The stage became an interactive space where the scenery led the performance and the actors lost their dominant position. This work also combines experimental puppetry with a complex political and artistic background. The marionettes here have two purposes: they are participants in the performance and, at the same time, convey certain ideological messages, criticizing the political and social processes in Europe at the beginning of the last century. These images reflect the spirit of an era characterized by turbulent political upheavals. The work demonstrates the close connection between the visual arts and theatrical practice and attests to the active participation of futurists in rethinking the role of theater in contemporary society.