Painted Chinese 

Iwo Zaniewski created this pastel drawing entitled “Painted Chinese,” and it shows an artist painting in a studio. Zaniewski was born in Poland, which, in the late twentieth century, was behind the Iron Curtain. The studio becomes a space free from the oppression of the totalitarian government. The artist can create his own world in his own space. Consider the title, “Painted Chinese.” Is it a commentary on the appropriation of Chinese culture, or is it an allusion to the artist painting themself, a form of self-portraiture? Zaniewski uses the space of the studio to investigate the role of the artist and how they reflect the society in which they live. The artist painting a picture is a reflection of culture, but it also has the potential to challenge and change the existing order. The understanding of art is often contingent on social and institutional contexts, and art historical research provides an understanding of the forces that shape artistic production.