Allusion is not Illusion
You'll pry my books off my cold, dead body. By the time you shift them all I'll be flat and dessicated.
Currently reading
Major Exhibit of Italian Futurism 1909-1944
I have been increasingly appreciative of 20th-century art over the past several years so I thought the companion volume to the Guggenheim's recent and highly lauded exhibit would be a good opportunity to revisit Futurism and see if I found it more appealing.
In some senses, yes: there were a number of specific pieces that I liked, and I found some of the ideas interesting. Overall, it is still not a favorite school for me, which I'm okay with; it would be a tad uncomfortable to really like a bunch of conceited, pretentious loudmouths who were enthusiastically Fascist, warmongering, misogynist, and convinced of their genius and qualifications to govern society. 
My high rating is for the book itself, not an indication of my extreme fondness for the style. Don't rush out and buy me a Boccioni for Christmas. (Actually, please do, but know that I'm probably going to resell it.) The reproductions are of excellent quality and variety, including more ephemeral materials that are less easy to find for online viewing. The analytic essays are intelligent and concise and neither vilify the artists nor shy away from addressing difficult issues. 
Just as a final point of interest: this exhibition and the book were underwritten by LaVazza. A note from a spokesperson for the company states that they're trying to expand their American market and thought this would be a nice way to do so. I'm trying to imagine an American food producers considering ways to increase appeal abroad and deciding, "I know, we'll sponsor a modern art exhibit!"
But I'm always up for a coffee.
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