Juanito Remontando Un Barrilete 1962

Antonio Berni's linocut presents us with children flying a kite. Look at the kite itself, a burst of geometric shapes and colors against the sky, acting almost as a mandala, a symbol that transcends mere play. The kite, tethered to the earth yet reaching for the heavens, echoes the ancient aspirations of the human spirit. We can trace this yearning back through time, from the soaring birds of ancient Egyptian art symbolizing the soul's journey, to the winged figures of Renaissance angels, each representing a bridge between the earthly and the divine. The act of flying a kite embodies the tension between grounded reality and boundless imagination. It is a longing for transcendence. The patterns, the colors, the very act of sending something skyward—all speak to our collective desire to escape the confines of the material world. It’s a universal language, one that touches the deepest chords of human emotion, reminding us of our shared dreams and hopes. This motif returns again and again.