Power 1967

Gebre Kristos Desta created this artwork with an intriguing collage of mechanical forms and shapes. The dominant visual element is the assemblage of machine parts, particularly gears and wheels, symbols of modernity and industrial progress. These motifs are not isolated; they echo in the Futurist paintings of the early 20th century, where machines were celebrated as emblems of speed and transformation. Yet, here, the fragmented nature of the collage suggests a more complex narrative. Consider the wheel, an archetypal symbol found across cultures, from ancient sun-worship rituals to its modern association with transportation. In Desta's work, however, the wheel is deconstructed, its function disrupted. This disruption taps into a collective anxiety about technological advancement and its impact on humanity, a concern that lingers in our subconscious. The gears and wheels, once symbols of progress, now evoke a sense of unease. The cyclical motif takes on new meaning in our contemporary world, as we grapple with technological change.