Bruno Munari

Renowned as one of the most influential figures in 20th-century art, design, and graphics, Bruno Munari left an indelible mark on the creative landscape with his innovative contributions to various fields.

Biography of Bruno Munari

Born on October 24, 1907, in Milan, Munari spent his formative years in Badia Polesine, where his family relocated to run a hotel.

In 1926, he returned to Milan and began working with his uncle, an engineer. The following year, he became a follower of Marinetti and the Futurist movement, showcasing his work in numerous exhibitions.

In 1930, he partnered with Riccardo Castagnedi (Ricas), collaborating as a graphic designer until 1938. During a trip to Paris in 1933, he met Louis Aragon and André Breton.

From 1938 to September 1943, he served as a press graphic designer for Mondadori, a publishing company.

In 1948, Munari, along with Gillo Dorfles, Gianni Monnet, and Atanasio Soldati, founded Movimento Arte Concreta (MAC), the Italian movement for concrete art. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Munari created numerous items for the Italian design industry, including light fixtures, ashtrays, televisions, espresso machines, and toys, among other objects.

Bruno Munari's Art Style

Munari's multifaceted career spanned painting, sculpture, film, industrial design, graphic design, literature, and poetry, making him a true polymath of his time.

Throughout his career, Munari's artistic vision transcended traditional boundaries, embracing elements of modernism, futurism, and concrete art.

In the late 1920s, Munari joined the 'Second' Italian Futurist movement led by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. During this time, Munari contributed collages to various Italian magazines, some of which were highly propagandist, and created sculptural works that would evolve over the following decades, including his useless machines and abstract geometrical pieces. After World War II, Munari distanced himself from Italian Futurism due to its proto-fascist associations.

Later in his life, Munari made significant contributions to the field of children's books and toys, though he had been creating books for children since the 1930s. He incorporated textured, tactile surfaces and cut-outs in his books to teach about touch, movement, and color through kinesthetic learning.