Gayane 1978

Mariam Aslamazian painted this portrait, "Gayane," using oil on canvas. The painting feels immediate; you can see the brushstrokes, the way she builds up the image layer by layer. It's like watching her think. Look at the way Aslamazian renders the background— a decorative array of blues, greens and yellows, loosely applied, letting the colours vibrate against each other. Then, your eyes are drawn to the face, rendered with this delicate pinkish hue. There's a real sense of movement and fluidity, especially in the woman's dark hair. See how the artist plays with opacity and transparency, allowing areas of the canvas to peek through while building up layers of color to create depth. It reminds me a little of Alice Neel's portraits in its directness. Aslamazian leaves space for imperfection, embracing the messiness and ambiguity that make art so interesting.