#36: El Tren (The Train) 2008

Marina Pallares created this linocut print, called “El Tren,” whose title means "The Train" in Spanish, using stark black ink on paper. At first glance, we see a steam train, but at its rear the carriages turn to form a vortex, an ouroboros of progress and cyclical return. This circular motif echoes ancient symbols of eternity and self-renewal, like the serpent eating its tail, found in various cultures from ancient Egypt to Norse mythology. The train, a symbol of modernity and forward movement, is here bound to a form suggesting endless repetition. This juxtaposition evokes a deep, subconscious unease, reminiscent of the anxieties of relentless industrial advancement that so preoccupied artists and thinkers. The vortex can be interpreted through a psychoanalytic lens, suggesting the cyclical nature of human history, with past traumas and triumphs endlessly resurfacing in new forms. Is this image a comment on the illusory nature of progress, or perhaps on the futility of technological advancement? "El Tren" invites us to contemplate the complex relationship between innovation, history, and the human condition.