Genius of the Species

Installation.

Located at the Franz Meyer Museum (Mexico City, Mexico).

The unusual idea of composition is allegorical. It lies in using bones to create a pistol, which is a symbol of death and destruction. Paalen designed his work in the form of a museum exhibit by placing the bones of various animals on black velvet, covering it with a glass lid and putting a nameplate near it. Created before the outbreak of World War II, when the atmosphere of anticipation of armed conflict was felt in the society, this work was not only symbolic but also very actual.