Portrait of the Artist 

Iwo Zaniewski's 'Portrait of the Artist' presents a dense, textural image of an artist in their studio. A pervasive network of strokes overlays the entire surface, creating a palpable sense of depth. The colour palette is muted, punctuated by vibrant reds, yellows, and greens, evoking a dream-like interior space. The artist's formal approach yields rich, semiotic readings. The image of the artist, hunched before a canvas, is juxtaposed with a portrait on an adjacent easel. The semiotic interplay between the artist and their subject explores themes of self-representation and identity. The window frames a dark, external world, contrasting with the cluttered, interior world of the studio. The painting is less a depiction of a physical space than a construction of a psychological state. It suggests that the act of painting is not simply a technical exercise, but a philosophical exploration of the self. Zaniewski invites us to contemplate the relationship between the artist, their work, and the world around them.