Eternal Flight 2002

Oleh Denysenko created "Eternal Flight" using etching to bring Leonardo da Vinci back to life in this piece. The circular composition of the print, filled with intricate lines, textures, and shapes, recalls the Renaissance interest in geometric perfection. The portrait of Leonardo, complete with a skull and various mechanical inventions, is a dense network of signs, evoking a sense of both wonder and the weight of knowledge. Denysenko uses Leonardo's image not merely as a representation but as a complex signifier. The juxtaposition of organic and mechanical elements, such as the wings and gears, speaks to a union of nature and technology that Leonardo embodied. The semiotic structure of the artwork points to broader themes of human ingenuity, mortality, and the relentless pursuit of understanding. The work destabilizes the notion of Leonardo as a fixed historical figure and turns him into a symbol of enduring intellectual inquiry. This visual and intellectual tension underscores the etching's exploration of how we continue to interpret our cultural icons.