Les arcs de 1970

Gherasim Luca's "Les arcs de" presents us with much more than just an image; it's an experience of the self in relation to a structure that looms large both literally and metaphorically. Born in Romania, Luca was a Jewish-Romanian surrealist theorist, poet, and artist who spent much of his life in exile. His personal history of displacement and cultural identity informs his work. This piece, with its image of an aqueduct, asks us to consider themes of connection, division, and the spaces in between. The aqueduct looms over a cluster of buildings, suggesting a connection to the people living there. Are they being supported or dominated by it? The architectural image, juxtaposed with the mechanical drawing, forces us to consider how we are positioned within systems that are both ancient and modern. Luca once said, "To make the poem is to know beforehand the precise instant when the risk of disaster is greatest.” His art invites us to embrace the uncertainty and potential for transformation inherent in the human experience.