The giant racer 1930

Cyril Power made this linocut, The Giant Racer, sometime in the first half of the 20th century, and it just sings with dynamism. Look at the shapes, the arcs and curves – they're so economical but they do so much work, right? The way the blocks of color layer on top of each other, creates depth and movement. I can almost feel the wind rushing by. It's not about perfect representation; it's about capturing the feeling of speed, the thrill of the ride. And that palette! The contrast between the blues and greens of the hill and the red racer creates an energy to the piece. It reminds me a bit of some of the Italian Futurists and their obsession with speed and modernity. But Power brings his own sensibility to it, a kind of playful abstraction. Like Stuart Davis, who used dynamic color to represent the feeling of New York. Ultimately, this piece is not about being right, but about embracing the joy of making.