Rock Drill Promenade Painting

Inspired by Sir Jacob Epstein's most radical sculpture, Rock Drill (c. 1913–1915). Epstein reinterpreted the sculpture negatively: ”My ardour for machinery (short-lived) expended itself upon the purchase of an actual drill, second-hand, and upon it I made and mounted a machine-like robot, visored, menacing, and carrying within itself its progeny, protectively ensconced. Here is the armed sinister figure of to-day and to-morrow. No humanity, only the terrible Frankenstein's monster we have made ourselves into.”. Epstein dismantled the work although it was reconstructed in 1974. In my interpretation the progeny is now a young mother herself, living, perhaps, in the shadow of industrial, mercantile, Marseille harbour. The benign Grandfather has matured and softened, virile now in a paternal way with no rancour or aggression. So humane that even the local dogs are not afraid to pee on him. Yet the sun shines and life goes on. Industrialisation has also mellowed, we are warned to wear protection against machinery. Will the small child in the pushchair grow up to be as his grandfather? Is he the artist?