Machine Turn Quickly 1917

Francis Picabia made this painting of what looks like machine parts using oil on cardboard. I can only imagine him, a guy known for not being able to stick to one style, fiddling with these interlocking shapes, trying to bring something almost technical to life. The palette is pretty cool — blues and blacks, with thin orange lines holding it all together. Look at how those lines crisscross, like schematics. It makes me wonder, was Picabia thinking about how machines were changing everything, even love and relationships? He even labels the gears ‘1 Femme’ and ‘2 Homme,’ which I think is totally hilarious. I mean, who does that? It makes me think of Duchamp, another trickster, throwing ideas around like confetti. These guys were definitely chatting, riffing off each other's energy. It's like they were sketching out a new kind of world, one full of gears, jokes, and maybe a little bit of chaos.