Between Reality and Dystopia: Machine City as a Reflection of Oppression and Hope
Art is a bridge between reality and imagination, a space where personal experiences transform into universal narratives that resonate with the viewer. In my series "Machine City," this bridge is built from my life under an oppressive regime in Cuba and my experience as an immigrant in the United States. Through these ink drawings on paper, I explore the dystopia of a world controlled by an invisible yet omnipresent machinery, a world where freedom is a distant concept and oppression is an everyday reality.
"Machine City" is a metaphor for life under a totalitarian system. In Cuba, I grew up in an environment where the power of the state controlled every aspect of life, from education to freedom of expression. This absolute control manifested in how every decision, every thought, was subject to the regime's surveillance and approval. This experience shaped my worldview and became the foundation of the narrative in "Machine City."
In this series, the Machine City is both a physical place and a mental state, a space where people are trapped in a web of power that grows and expands, becoming increasingly suffocating. The story underlying these drawings, based on my poems from "The Parable," narrates how a machine begins with Adam and Eve and transforms into a city that envelops and consumes its inhabitants. This process of expansion is a metaphor for how systems of power, once established, grow and strengthen until they become inescapable forces that define the lives of those living within them.
In my drawings, the human figure appears trapped within this machinery, surrounded by gears and mechanisms that seem to have a life of their own. This visual representation reflects the oppression I experienced in Cuba, where individuality and autonomy were suppressed in favor of state control. But at the same time, these drawings also reflect my experience as an immigrant in the United States, where oppression manifests in subtler but equally present ways. The machinery of power does not disappear; it simply changes form, adapting to the social and cultural context in which it finds itself.
The Machine City, then, is not just a fictional dystopia but a mirror of the reality that many face in their daily lives. It is a place where hope and despair coexist, where the struggle for freedom is constant, though often invisible. In my drawings, I use ink to create a strong contrast between oppression and resistance, capturing the internal struggle experienced by those trapped in systems of power that seem impossible to dismantle.
However, despite the darkness surrounding the Machine City, my work also carries a message of hope. Through the details, through the figures that refuse to be completely consumed by the machine, I attempt to convey the idea that, even in the most oppressive environments, there is always room for resistance. Hope does not manifest obviously; it is a spark that endures, a light that continues to shine despite attempts to extinguish it. My drawings capture this duality, showing how the Machine City can be both a symbol of control and a representation of the human struggle for freedom.
The use of ink in my works is not accidental. Ink, with its ability to create precise lines and intense contrasts, is the ideal medium for capturing the tension between reality and dystopia. Through its use, I can represent the complexity of the Machine City, a structure that is at once fascinating and terrifying, beautiful in its design but horrific in its function. Every ink stroke is a declaration of the struggle between power and freedom, a battle fought both in the external world and within each individual.
As the Machine City grows, it becomes a symbol of how power systems can come to dominate our lives, making us feel helpless and trapped. But at the same time, my drawings also show that there are ways to resist, to find spaces where the machine cannot reach. These spaces are small, sometimes almost invisible, but they exist. They are the places where humanity persists, where creativity and individuality find ways to express themselves, even when everything seems lost.
"Machine City" is, ultimately, an exploration of the human condition under the yoke of oppression, but it is also a celebration of resilience and hope. Through this series, I invite viewers to reflect on their own relationship with power, to question the structures that surround them, and to seek their own paths to freedom. My drawings do not just tell my story; they tell the story of all those who have felt the weight of oppression and have found the strength to resist.
In summary, "Machine City" is more than a series of drawings; it is a meditation on the nature of power, oppression, and resistance. Through this work, I attempt to capture the complexity of the human experience in a world dominated by forces beyond our control, but I also want to offer a ray of hope, a reminder that, even in the darkest moments, there is always a way to fight, to preserve our humanity, and to find a path to freedom.