Luxury Apartment 

Editor: So, here we have Iwo Zaniewski’s “Luxury Apartment,” an acrylic on canvas painting. The painting really strikes me with its simplified forms, that bright, almost overwhelming, orange, and these darker silhouetted figures, which bring in a feeling of loneliness despite the supposed luxury. What do you make of it? Curator: For me, the title "Luxury Apartment" is almost ironic, considering the rather stark presentation. It compels us to ask, what materials truly construct this 'luxury'? Is it the paint itself, acrylic on canvas, mass-produced and readily available? Or, is the 'luxury' located instead in the implied interior – the silhouette of furniture suggesting a crafted, domestic space? Editor: I see what you mean. It is kind of flat, like there isn't really much luxury beyond the idea of a nice place to live, but you also say the luxury is the *implied* labor of domestic space? Curator: Exactly. Consider the means of its production and consumption. Who would purchase this piece, and how might their own socio-economic context affect their view of the idea of "luxury"? What is the artist trying to express, not just with color and form, but with the conscious decision of material choice. Acrylic versus oil paint says something in and of itself, doesn’t it? Editor: That's fascinating, I hadn’t really thought about the materials in terms of social commentary, the relative affordability of acrylic… Curator: Indeed. It challenges the high/low art dynamic. The artist uses ordinary materials to present an aspirational space. This democratisation, using acrylic over the more traditionally luxurious oil paints, opens questions about value and taste in our current market. Editor: That is an interesting point. So much of the reading really changes if you think of Zaniewski being critical of how we think about materials and labour. Curator: Precisely. It prompts us to contemplate not just *what* is depicted but *how* it’s been made and distributed within a particular system. Editor: This really shifted how I see the painting. Thank you for shedding some light on how materials and means play into Zaniewski's message. Curator: My pleasure. Hopefully, now when we all look at artworks we will think twice about means and methods of production!