Soupape d'admission - by Francis PICABIA

Soupape d'admission - by Francis PICABIA
This mecanomorphic painting is part of a series of works executed in New York in 1917 around the time when Picabia, Duchamp, Man Ray and other American artists were creating imaginary enigmatic machines out of derision toward the mechanical spirit of modern American civilization and the machine mentality promoted by the Italian futurists.

"It happens that the stage sets collapse. Rising streetcar, four hours in the office or factory, meal, streetcar, four hours of work, meal, sleep and Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday according to the same rhythm - this path is easily followed most of the time. But one day the "why" arises and everything begins in that weariness tinged with amazement. "begins" - this is important. Weariness comes at the end of a mechanical life. It awakens consciousness and provokes what follows. what follows is the gradual return into the chain or it is the definitive awakening."
Albert Camus