Mécano-Fracture Construction 

Henryk Berlewi made this striking composition, Mécano-Fracture Construction, with paint on canvas. Berlewi was a key figure in the Eastern European avant-garde, deeply engaged with how technological progress shapes identity. Berlewi's Jewish identity and experiences of displacement during turbulent periods in Poland and across Europe undoubtedly influenced his artistic vision. He sought a universal language for art, one that could transcend cultural and linguistic barriers. His style emerged from a desire to integrate machine-age aesthetics into art. This piece is a prime example of Berlewi's exploration of dynamic and rhythmic forms, reflecting the pulse of modern life. The bold juxtaposition of colors and geometric patterns evokes the sensation of movement and energy, characteristic of an era marked by rapid industrialization. Does this abstraction feel like an embrace or a rejection of our increasingly mechanized world?