International Steampunk Art Prize 2026

The Unseen Presence is an original painting by Ahmad Najafi exploring human identity, concealment and imagined technology. A human figure is partially hidden beneath a flowing golden form, while the hands and body preserve a strong sense of presence. The concealed face suggests an identity transformed, protected or controlled by forces beyond the visible world. At the centre, a circular emblem contains a dark mechanical device resembling a lever or invented tool. This object suggests a lost technology and an alternative history in which human beings have become inseparable from machines. The luminous gold may represent transformed metal, energy, memory or a protective mechanical substance. Its beauty is balanced by danger and uncertainty. I created the work through layered painting, expressive brushwork and ornamental textures. The painting asks what remains human when technology begins to conceal rather than reveal identity.