Page 55 - Arts Management Magazine Future Issue

About halfway through his year in Hangzhou, Wieslaw went of, the multifaceted layers of communication that occur when
out on a limb and applied to take a master’s in Chinese Painting two very different cultures come into contact with each other.
at CAA: “Receiving that letter of acceptance was one of the I wanted to show the intimacy and deep meaningful closeness
happiest moments of my entire life. The dream came true.” But that crossing the lines of cultural divides can produce.” Using
the road that followed wasn’t always easy for Wieslaw—he was a synthesis of religious themes and flawless execution of both
taking a master’s program fully in Chinese and with no formal Western and Asian styles of figure, landscape, architecture, and
university training in fine arts. “It was clear that I was one of fresco painting, Wieslaw impressed the judges with his culmi-
the weaker students in the beginning, and the only way I could nating exhibition at the CAA and became the first foreigner to
keep up was to sketch and paint far more often than everyone ever take the top prize in Chinese Painting at this prestigious
else. They used to call me ‘Crazy Pole’ because I was com- University:
pulsively drawing all the time,” Wieslaw said. With diligence,
it wasn’t long before he began impressing the faculty with his “I was humbled to have my work recognized in this way; it
command of traditional Chinese style and form, but he had a marked in many ways a milestone for the university, as well,
creative edge and willingness to experiment that helped him since this was the first time that concept had as strong of a
stand out from many of his classmates, who mostly preferred to weighting as form. The real honor was seeing how people en-
“stay inside the lines.” gaged with the piece. That is what I’ve always wanted my art
to be… a touching message, inspiring people to take a deeper
This unique balance between the command of traditional form look at the world, search for profound meaning and engage in
and the creative confidence to bend these conventions helped dialogue.”
him to produce a magnificent piece for his final master’s project:
“I felt like this work truly summarized my journey to the East For Wieslaw, art is a fundamental drive. If followed wholeheart-
and perspective I had gained by that point. I wanted to show edly, it will take you anywhere, “from the depths of your soul,
the dialogue between West and East that I had become a part to as far away as the moon… and beyond.”

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