Blue Shade 

Iwo Zaniewski’s oil painting, *Blue Shade*, is a study in contrasts through form and colour. The composition is structured by two dominant shapes: one, an ethereal form in off-white tones, the other, a bold, almost flattened mass of deep blue. The materiality of the paint is key here. Zaniewski uses a soft, diffused application for the lighter figure, creating a sense of ethereality. In contrast, the blue shade is rendered with a denser application, grounding it in a more tangible reality. The interplay between these forms raises interesting questions about presence and absence, substance and shadow. The artist challenges our perception by obscuring the boundaries between figure and ground, prompting us to consider how colour and form can destabilize our understanding of space. The simplicity of the forms invites contemplation, allowing viewers to project their own interpretations onto the canvas. Ultimately, *Blue Shade* is an exploration of how formal elements alone can convey complex emotional and intellectual states.