The artwork “States of Mind: Those Who Go” is an oil on canvas painting crafted by the Italian artist Umberto Boccioni in 1911. Measuring 96.5 x 70.8 cm, it is representative of the Futurism art movement. This abstract genre painting was created in Milan, Italy, and is presently housed in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) located in New York City, New York, United States.
“States of Mind: Those Who Go” displays a multifaceted exploration of movement and dynamism, as characteristic of the Futurist concern with speed, technology, and the energetic pace of modern life. Boccioni employs an array of fractured surfaces and intersecting planes to convey the chaos and flux of an industrializing society. Swirling forms and overlapping figures create a sense of vigorous motion, reflecting the artist’s intent to capture the sensation of movement and the emotional states of those depicted. The paint’s application varies in thickness and texture, further enhancing the harmonious disarray of colors and shapes that merge to form a depiction of people enmeshed in the hustle and bustle of departure, signifying the theme of the piece: the psychological experience of those in transit. Boccioni’s masterful use of color and form not only exemplifies the aesthetics of Futurism but also embodies the societal transformations of the early 20th century.
