The giant racer 1930

Cyril Power pulled this linocut, The Giant Racer, in the early 20th century, layering blues, greens, and reds to capture a moment of thrilling speed. The sharp lines and vivid colors give it an energy that’s almost dizzying. I imagine Power carving into that lino block, each cut a deliberate choice, trying to find the perfect balance between form and motion. There's a real sense of play here, like he's not just depicting a scene, but also trying to convey the feeling of hurtling forward, the wind rushing past. The way the colors overlap and blend in areas suggests that he was also interested in the interaction between them. Those bold strokes of red, cutting through the blues and greens, really grab your attention. They remind me a bit of the Italian Futurists, who were also obsessed with capturing speed and dynamism in their work. It’s all about that conversation between artists, bouncing ideas off each other, across time and space.