Critique #2 "Jet Stream Super Highway & Hyper Wing Sail Vehicle"

The world is constantly advancing. New discoveries in technology and engineering have allowed the world to come incredibly far in a short period of time. In less than 100 years, the Internet has taken over communications, the cell phone has become essential, cars have flooded the roads, and planes have traveled through the clouds. The world has advanced at a rapid rate lately, making yesterday’s new toy today’s outdated fossil. The advancement of transportation stands out among the rest as one of the greater accomplishments. From the first cars in the early 1900’s to sending a man to the moon in 1969, the drastic strides are unbelievable and it’s fair to wonder what the future will bring. In the painting “Jet Stream Super-Highway & Hyper Wing Sail Vehicle”, artist David Huang presents rapid movement and a vast background in order to show the speed of future transportation and the on going process of advancement.

David Huang focuses primarily on the high speeds of the futuristic vehicles in this painting. The two main vehicles in the foreground are the focal point of the painting and are presumably the “Jet Stream Super-Highway & Hyper Wing Sail Vehicle”. Both vehicles are located on a track. This track extends all the way into the background and out of sight. It resembles a racecar track because of its curves and slightly tilted design. Noticing this track and how it’s similar to a racing track adds to the feeling of very fast movement. One vehicle is on ground, traveling by wheels, most likely the hyper wing sail, because of its two wings and sail-like piece on top. The vehicle seems to be blurred slightly, as if it’s reaching very high speeds. The other and much larger vehicle is the jet stream super-highway. This vehicle is not located on the ground like the other; it seems to be grinding on the two sides of the road, using its two wings to attach to the rails. Its features include four large fans in the front and a top that runs over the fans leading to the wings. Both vehicles seem to be accelerating at great speeds. Huang excels at bringing a high-speed scene to his futuristic painting.

            The other aspect to Huang’s painting is the distant city skyline and background. Behind the two main vehicles, other vehicles travel the same “track” which seems to be a futuristic version of a highway. Another highway runs in the other direction back towards the city. A noticeable “Jet stream Super-Highway” travels on that highway. The abundance of unfamiliar vehicles implies that this painting is well into the future, as everything in it is very futuristic. The highway travels over a body of water, held up by pillars like a bridge winding its way back to the city. Meanwhile, the city in the background seems like a paradise among the clouds. The buildings are slightly faded in a heaven-like mix of blue and white. The largest building in the city is a gigantic disk shaped mass that resembles some type of UFO looking object. Other buildings tower from the skyline making the background an effective part of the painting.

            David Huang imagines a fast, sophisticated future. He seems to see advancements continuing over the years at a rapid pace. His perception of the future is likely shared by others, as the idea of flying cars and glossy white buildings among a misty, cloud covered; blue sky has been a common view of the future due to films and science fiction. He sees a bright future, where as others see the discoveries of such sophisticated things as the downfall of the world. The future holds many different possibilities but one thing’s for sure, discoveries will be made and advancement will continue. Whether it’s for the better, like Huang depicts, or something much worse, only time will tell.