Illustration to 'Armenian folk tales' 1937

Curator: Martiros Sarian created this piece, “Illustration to ‘Armenian folk tales’,” in 1937 using ink. The monochromatic palette gives it a distinctive feel. What are your initial impressions? Editor: A bit unsettling! There's a towering figure with… horns? It evokes old myths, powerful figures from the pre-Christian Armenian past and a certain sense of foreboding despite the simplistic, almost childlike, rendering of the forms. Curator: Exactly! The artist drew inspiration from Armenian folklore, particularly its animistic aspects. That horned figure could symbolize pagan deities or nature spirits, pre-dating Christian iconography in the region, making the image rife with meaning when contextualized against cultural imperialism. Editor: That certainly chimes with the way that these primal forms have been composed; look at how the man stands facing the being. Is this a narrative around submission or negotiation with a deity or is the artist portraying a patriarchal power relationship where nature is subjugated for political ends? The imagery gives me pause for thought. Curator: Yes! Consider the folk art tradition it references; many old cultures used art as a tool for cultural expression in political revolt or protest. By resurrecting this pre-existing imagery in art, does Sarian not pose questions regarding what it is to belong and have your cultural voice suppressed through both physical displacement, marginalisation or social stigma? Editor: It's like looking at layered cultural memory through symbolism; the cow too has so much more meaning layered within a religious historical context! Do you feel this beast is presented simply for economical use or a holy creature central to these historical and political conversations, central to these stories? Curator: Perhaps Sarian asks us to consider a past not neatly suppressed but living just below the surface, ready to be reimagined, reformulated, and reclaimed as part of cultural expression within times of displacement. It adds nuance and an important point to conversations surrounding belonging, something often overlooked. Editor: Agreed, and the interplay between personal interpretation and wider understanding provides space for broader connection with symbolism beyond our immediate viewpoint.