Untitled 

This unsettling, untitled painting is by the Polish artist Zdzislaw Beksinski. It’s hard to put an exact date on it, but it’s likely from the later part of the artist’s career. Beksinski’s work creates meaning through its unique visual codes. It hints at cultural references and historical associations. Born in Poland in 1929, Beksinski lived through the Second World War and then decades of Soviet control. The impact of these historic events is clear in the bleakness and horror depicted in his art. One question we might ask is whether this work critiques the institutions of art? Beksinski claimed not to be influenced by art, literature, music, philosophy, or film. He preferred to draw on inner visions. This rejection of external influences is a powerful comment on the social and institutional context that shapes so much art. To understand Beksinski better we can draw on historical resources that explore the cultural and political climate of Poland during the artist’s lifetime. By doing so, we can understand the meaning of his art as something deeply rooted in social and institutional context.