The national competent woman 1976

Mariam Aslamazian made this oil painting, "The national competent woman", with its ochres and reds, blues and yellows, using simple shapes and flat blocks of colour. I love the way the light seems to shift and shimmer across the surface. It's not photorealistic, but it has a kind of inner truth. Check out the repeated curves of the pots and the way the rhythmic white squiggles are painted on the vessels. Doesn’t the colour palette sing? The dark figure of the potter is draped in a yellow headscarf and blue robes. This piece reminds me of work by my friend, the late, great, Etel Adnan. Etel would have admired Aslamazian’s bold approach to colour, but I wonder, what do you think? I hope you enjoy this painting, there’s a lot to unpack here.