Architect’s Night 

Iwo Zaniewski created this painting, “Architect’s Night,” depicting an interior space in dialogue with nature. Zaniewski’s work raises questions about the social conditions that shape our perception of space. Made in Poland after the fall of the Soviet Union, this image of an architect working late at night speaks to the rapid social and economic changes of the time. The figure, silhouetted against the brightly lit desk, is surrounded by darkness, perhaps a comment on the uncertainties of a rapidly changing world. The view through the window is not of a city, but a forest, implying a longing for nature. The bright desk lamps cast stark light, like a stage. What dramas of design are being played out here? The art historian can research architectural publications from Poland at that time, comparing it to other art of the period to better understand how Zaniewski’s image comments on the social structures of its time.