“The Child Carburetor,” created by the artist Francis Picabia in 1919, is a seminal work of the Dada art movement. Crafted using mixed media on plywood, this abstract piece embodies the avant-garde spirit of its time. The artwork is currently housed in the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City, NY, US.
The artwork features a complex assemblage of geometric forms and mechanistic imagery, set against a warm wooden background. The composition includes various intersecting lines and shapes that evoke the intricate components of a machine. Elements such as circles, rectangles, and lines are drawn with precision, and the inclusion of metallic colors like gold and black adds to its industrial aesthetic. Text is inscribed in several places, including “L’ENFANT CARBURATEUR” at the top, which translates to “The Child Carburetor,” and phrases such as “DÉTRUIRE LE FUTUR” meaning “Destroy the Future,” further emphasizing the Dadaist intent to challenge conventional perceptions and disrupt traditional narratives. The overall piece is a striking example of Dada’s exploration of abstraction and mechanization.