It was inaugurated on April 4, at the Palazzo dell'Aeronautica in Rome, in the presence of authorities and numerous guests, the exhibition “Tullio Crali. The Evolution of Flight, the first exhibition entirely dedicated to the aero-painter of the 1920s, curated by the art historian Barbara Martorelli.
To chair the inaugural conference Head of the 5th Department “Communication” of the Air Staff, Air Commodore Urbano Floreani, after thanking the curator, the Crali family and all those who contributed with passion to the creation of the exhibition, he emphasised how the exhibited works have, in a certain sense, returned “home”, finding a suggestive and natural setting in the historic rooms of Palazzo Aeronautica.
The artistic greatness of Tullio Crali, however, was the subject of the intervention by Exhibition curator, Dr Barbara Martorelli who highlighted how, from a very young artist in 1926 until his final work in 1991, he managed to interpret and transcend Futurism, continuing his own work well beyond the natural conclusion of the Movement.
Accompanied by numerous other relatives of the artist, Anna Bartolozzi Crali, In his welcoming address, he wished to highlight the profound bond, both artistic and human, that united Tullio Crali with the Air Force and its members; bonds of admiration and sincere friendship which deeply inspired the Maestro's artistic output.
Beyond 80 works Among the most iconic pieces from the Maestro's output, they are displayed chronologically alongside interesting previously unseen items such as diaries, photos, and archive materials, telling the story of the artist's different creative phases: from the early experiments in Aeropittura, celebrated for their Aerial evolutions in the boundless spaces of the sky, like the most celebrated Entering the town (1939), all large-format canvases depicting the aerial views in the post-war period. The exhibition path is closed by works from the artist's late phase dedicated to the Frecce Tricolori, the triptych of which will be loaned long-term by the artist's family to the Italian Air Force. Crali's powerful images, dynamic lines, and innovative aesthetic have contributed from the outset to disseminating the aeronautical imaginary with a visual language of intense expression. The works come from the Crali family and from public and private collections, among which the following stand out: Veneto Region e Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Handicrafts and Agriculture of Venezia Giulia.
“Tullio Crali was an attentive and precise chronicler of his time, animated, like all great artists, by a profound sensitivity. From the enthusiasm of the first flights in the 1920s to the most dramatic moments of the Second World War, his art successfully captured the 20th century with a unique perspective, offering a vision capable of mitigating, at least in part, the horrors of war, alleviating the tension of pilots, and bringing aeropainting closer to the general public. Art, architecture, history, emotions, passion, style, modernity, innovation, technology, flight. This is the kaleidoscopic synthesis of the exhibition, as well as of Palazzo Aeronautica and, if we so wish, of the entire ”Blue Army'.” The words regarding the exhibition From the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Air Squadron General Luca Goretti.
The exhibition will be open for visits, free of charge and by booking on the Armed Forces' website, until 11 May, every Saturday and Sunday, Friday 18 April and Friday 25 April, from 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM (last entry expected at 4:30 PM). The exhibition will subsequently be set up at the striking venue of Italian Air Force Museum of Vigna di Valle, on Lake Bracciano, recently renovated for the Centenary of the Italian Air Force, where it will be visitable from 31 May to 13 July 2025.
A clarinet quintet, a chamber ensemble of Italian Air Force Band born in its embryonic form precisely in 1924, it delighted those present in the charming historic halls of Palazzo Aeronautica by performing pieces from the early decades of the twentieth century, the years in which Tullio Crali began his extraordinary artistic journey.
Tullio Crali (1910-2000) He is one of the most important exponents of Aeropittura, a painting movement of Italian Futurism that exalted the dynamism, speed and modernity of flight. His artistic output, which spans almost the entire 20th century, represents a perfect synthesis between the bold Futurist aesthetic and the evolution of aeronautical technology. Crali approached Futurism in the 1920s, fascinated by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti's energy and vision. The turning point came in 1929, when the artist not only participated in the first Futurist exhibition, but also received a reply to a letter he had sent to Marinetti, in which the founder warmly welcomed the young artist into the Movement, thus changing the course of his life forever. The watercolour paintings on paper from the late 1920s and early attempts at using oil on canvas convey the exaltation of flight and speed through daring perspectives and bold chromatic fields of vivid colours. From the watercolours of the 1920s, the artist moved on to tempera and oils on board. The young artist's hand became increasingly sure and the first oil paintings of the 1930s express composure and solidity in the use of chiaroscuro, conveying the exaltation of flight and speed through daring perspectives, bold chromatic fields of vivid colours without losing the freshness of plastic experiments. The canvases of these years are striking for the elegance of their sinuous line with a Prampolini-esque flavour and the tension of metaphysical research that tends towards abstraction.
The exhibition was made possible thanks to the support of Milano Brothers Group (main sponsor) and MB Elettronica (sponsor).
