KO

Sections of steel are extracted from car bodies and presented on the wall of a gallery. Their colors recall the flag of the Arab Revolt and Felix Gonzales-Torres’ 1988 “Forbidden Colors.” Each section bears a fragment of the Mercedes-Benz kompressor logo.

In this work, the word kompressor (turbo-charged in German) is reimagined as an awkward portmanteau combining compassionate and oppressor. It reflects the spirit of enlightened absolutism declared by rulers across the region.

images © 2010 – Amin Musa