Ewa and Shade in the Garden 

Iwo Zaniewski's "Ewa and Shade in the Garden" is a painting built up with countless small brushstrokes, a mosaic of colored light. The traditional medium of oil paint is here applied in a painstaking manner, labor-intensive to say the least. The impression is one of almost compulsive mark-making. Zaniewski builds an opulent, domestic space and a moment of repose, but does so with a technique that borders on obsession. This contrast is interesting – the comfort suggested by the scene belies the effort required to bring it into being. As a painting it asks us to consider the amount of time and energy that goes into even the most straightforward of images. This connects it to broader social and economic systems in which human labor is poured into the creation of commodities. Ultimately, "Ewa and Shade in the Garden" is a reminder of the power of the handmade, and the often-unseen work that underlies our daily lives.