When we hear the word revolution, we often think of uprisings and struggles within a political or social context. For her fourth solo presentation at the gallery, however, Lucas returns to the original meaning of the term, derived from the Latin volvere, which literally means “to turn” or “to roll.” In doing so, she connects the concept to its scientific roots — as when Copernicus used it in 1543 in the title of his study On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres.

Four major techno-industrial revolutions form the foundation of the video work and the series of Compositions presented in the exhibition 4 FAIT/H. From the invention of the steam engine to the pervasive power of artificial intelligence, Lucas reveals how technological progress has become deeply embedded in the fabric of human existence.

The spark of a revolution may ignite through an ingenious steam engine, an optimized assembly line, the flicker of an electric bulb, the energy of alternating current, data processing, silicon microchips, programming, robotics, the internet, big data, or artificial intelligence. Each of these innovations has left its mark on biodiversity, cultural and political thought, and on social structures and class inequality. Together, they form an inseparable chain of cause and effect.