Zhou Zhi 

Joshua LaRock’s oil painting presents us with a contemporary take on classical portraiture. In his depiction of Zhou Zhi, LaRock references the conventions of academic realism, updating them for a 21st-century audience. The artist invites us to consider the relationship between tradition and modernity. The painting reflects a globalized art world, where Western techniques are employed to depict a subject from a different cultural background. China's rapid economic growth has led to a renewed interest in luxury and status, and LaRock's painting can be seen as a reflection of this phenomenon. The choice of a female subject also brings up questions about gender roles. Is she an empowered and independent woman? Or is she merely an object of desire? To gain a deeper understanding of this work, one might research the history of portraiture, the cultural context of contemporary China, and the artist's own background and influences. By combining formal analysis with socio-historical context, we can arrive at a richer interpretation of the work's cultural significance.