In The Race, Khaled Zaki resurrects an ancient scene by casting the viewer into the path of unruly horses racing among wheels that recall those of ancient Egyptian chariots. Between movement and stasis, advance and retreat, the viewer sees two horses traversing the ground among six thrusting wheels in the shifting sands of an excavation site. Zaki visualises meaning beyond the function of chariots as modes of transport. The Race becomes an expression of the power and fortitude of human invention that led to the navigation of the seas, the discovery of unknown lands, the conquest of the skies. It stems from Zaki’s ongoing exploration of relationships between historical narratives and societal discourse in dialogue with contemporary realties.

Zaki expresses his belief that a vision of the present can be captured: The chariot dismantled, buried, wheels scattered as archaeological evidence pulsing to emerge, no longer connected to horses once providing rapid locomotive power. It represents the shifting equilibrium of contemporary systems of power where technology (characterised by gleaming stainless steel) precedes its makers. Humanity’s shared desire to uncover and understand enables the creation of new tools, and consequently, many scientific endeavours are made possible. Thus, technology produces even more resources, including ‘Artefacts of Everyday Life’ that will comprise the trail of humanity’s new narrative where technology will continue to solve archaeology’s most enduring mysteries.