“Women, if you want to realize yourselves… are you prepared for the Wrench? There is no half-measure – NO scratching on the surface of the rubbish heap of tradition will bring about Reform, the only method is Absolute Demolition.” - Mina Loy, Feminist Manifesto, 1914

The world of the artistic avant-garde in the first half of the 20th century, from Futurism onwards, is populated by a significant group of women: writers, painters, polemicists, actresses, dancers, photographers. Often little known, these women expressed themselves in a variety of art forms and through their behaviour and life choices, thus feeding an early debate on the social role of women. A major scholar of avant-gardes, the author of this book has sought out and rediscovered these women: Eva Kühn Amendola, Benedetta Cappa Marinetti, Luisa Casati, Tina Modotti, revolutionaries, and Soviet spies. These thirty portraits of artists (who were either Italian or connected to Italy) provide a lively depiction of the “other half of the sky”, featuring characters who at times seem fictional and often convey a surprising modernity.

Claudia Salaris is a scholar of Futurism and Avant-Garde Art.