Spanish Woman Waiting 

Editor: So this is "Spanish Woman Waiting" by Iwo Zaniewski. It looks like it was made with coloured pencil, though I’m not sure when. I find it quite intriguing, particularly how the woman in red seems isolated, despite the landscape stretching behind her. What do you see in this piece, especially with your background in iconography? Curator: The isolation you mention is quite powerful, isn’t it? The red dress – traditionally associated with passion and vitality – here seems to cloak her in a melancholic silence. I’m immediately struck by the almost dreamlike quality achieved with colored pencil. Notice how the orange of the landscape bleeds into the dress, subtly binding the figure to her surroundings, and the presence of the dark squares of the tile which could evoke the game of chess – destiny at play perhaps? But look closer. Is she really *waiting*? Editor: That’s a good question. The bottle on the table makes it less passive, I think. Almost as though she’s settled in for a long wait, or perhaps doesn’t expect anyone. The landscape beyond almost looks barren, apart from what seems to be a worn out pathway. Curator: Exactly. And there's a rich symbolism embedded in landscapes of waiting across different cultures. The figure echoes earlier portrayals of melancholy and retrospection. Does it call to mind for you any other images, in terms of pose or palette, particularly paintings from the early 20th Century? Think of German Expressionism perhaps. This woman evokes an unsettling emotional echo chamber… Editor: Now that you mention it, the use of color reminds me of some of the early Expressionists, and there’s a hint of something like folk art as well. Curator: Precisely. The tension between those potential artistic languages and cultural symbols really does make you question what the image aims to represent. And perhaps also, who this woman might actually be... What has this viewing experience meant for you? Editor: It’s been a reminder of how much can be communicated through a figure in a landscape. I need to trust my instincts more when encountering artwork and think more about symbols and imagery. Thanks so much. Curator: My pleasure. Hopefully you'll also see art from a historical viewpoint and consider cultural echoes across eras.