Toy Locomotive 1935 - 1942

Chris Makrenos created this study of a ‘Toy Locomotive,’ using graphite and watercolor. Makrenos was a first-generation Greek-American, born in 1955. He was raised in a family that valued both their heritage and the opportunities that America offered. Many first-generation Americans find themselves walking a tightrope between honoring their roots and assimilating into American society. The locomotive, rendered in a child’s toy, becomes a potent symbol of both the progress and nostalgia that defines the immigrant experience. The bright red engine, with its careful rendering of light and shadow, might evoke personal memories. As children, we internalize these objects, investing them with emotions and stories. It seems to me that the artist uses these toys to examine broader themes of cultural memory, identity, and the immigrant experience. What does it mean to hold onto the past while hurtling toward the future? Ultimately, the work prompts us to consider how we carry our own histories and aspirations forward.