“States of Mind II: Those Who Go” is an artwork by Umberto Boccioni, rendered in oil on canvas in the year 1911 in Milan, Italy. The piece is a representative work of the Futurism art movement and can be classified under the abstract genre. This painting belongs to a series that explores the psychological dimensions of modern life, encapsulating movement, speed, and technology, which were central themes in the work of Futurist artists.
The artwork vibrates with dynamic lines and swaths of vibrant colors that seem to pull the viewer’s eye in multiple directions at once. It reflects the energy and turmoil of an era enraptured with the machine age, seemingly in motion and blurring before one’s eyes. Geometric shapes and fragmented forms combine to create a sense of chaos and flux, a technique Boccioni employs to convey the existential state of individuals adapting to the fast pace of contemporary society.
There is an implied sense of urgency and restlessness, with elongated figures that appear almost ghost-like as they surge forward. The background and the characters merge through the use of overlapping and intersecting colors and shapes, depicting a sort of visual simultaneity that is meant to mimic the bustling environment and state of mind of those in constant motion. Through his masterful application of color and form, Boccioni encapsulates the emotional experiences of individuals caught in the relentless surge of modernity.
