Rome (Italy). The Italian state establishes the historic residence of the futurist artist Giacomo Balla as a public museum. He acquired it for a total amount of 6.9 million euros: 6 million for the works of art and furniture and 900,000 euros for the ownership of the apartment. Located on via Oslavia in Rome, Casa Balla was his place of life and creation with his wife Elisa and their daughters, Luce and Elica, from 1929 until the artist’s death in 1958. More than a simple apartment-studio, this place was a laboratory of experimentation where the aesthetic principles of futurism were applied to every aspect of daily life. In accordance with the manifesto of the Futuristic construction of the universe (“Futurist reconstruction of the universe”) signed by Balla and Fortunato Depero in 1915, art is omnipresent.
The walls, ceilings and even doors are completely painted in bright colors and decorated with futuristic designs. The exploded geometric shapes and abstract compositions create a vibrant atmosphere in an apartment where furniture and everyday objects have been custom designed, decorated and transformed by the artist and his family. Giacomo Balla, who also worked in fashion, designed futuristic clothing that was worn around the house. They complemented the visual environment, making the inhabitants themselves moving elements of the places which have more than a simple residential function and become a total work of art. In the different rooms paintings, sculptures, sketches, preparatory drawings as well as projects for the theater are exhibited.
The residence elevated to the rank of national heritage
When Luce and Elica died in the 1990s, Casa Balla was abandoned. Frozen in time, it was declared an asset of cultural interest by the Ministry of Culture in 2004. The first restoration work was then carried out by the Istituto Centrale del Restauro (ICR). More recently, the Special Superintendency of Rome and the heirs, in collaboration with the Bank of Italy, are promoting further restorations, including works of art present in the apartment. It was only in June 2021, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Giacomo Balla, that it reopened its doors thanks to an interinstitutional collaborative effort led in particular by the National Museum of 21st Century Arts (MAXXI) and the Special Superintendency of Rome.
“By becoming state property, the future of Casa Balla is assured as a permanent public museum, allowing careful work of conservation and study to continue, comments Massimo Osanna, general director of Italian museums. This unique residence, where each object and each color bears witness to the creative energy of Giacomo Balla, has become a national heritage. The aim is to make it fully accessible, by guiding all audiences to discover a fundamental chapter of 20th century art.e century: futurism and its legacy. »
The opening of this new museum is also considered a crucial step for the study and protection of the work of an artist who is the subject of numerous counterfeits on the art market. Recently, futurism specialist Fabio Benzi called on the Ministries of Culture and Justice to adopt stricter and more effective regulations to govern the sale of futurist works to guarantee their authenticity and protect the reputation of artists. More rigor is also required from museums which, in the context of exhibitions on futurism, present works whose attribution is doubtful or incorrect. A phenomenon which particularly concerns Giacomo Balla who produced replicas or reiterations of some of his major futurist works dating from the 1910s, during his period of late maturity, particularly in the 1950s. Casa Balla will thus be able to stimulate new research, publications and, potentially, the updating of a catalog raisonné essential to effectively fight against forgeries.
