Old Yerevan, Kond 1988

Petros Malayan made this painting, Old Yerevan, Kond, with visible brushstrokes and a limited palette of browns and grays. I can almost feel the painting coming into being, each stroke carefully considered and placed, as if Malayan were mapping a familiar, intimate space from memory. You can sense the artist's sympathy for his subject, a neighborhood in Yerevan. What might he have been thinking as he mixed those muted tones? You can feel the texture, see how the paint is applied in layers, building up a sense of depth. The subtle variations in tone evoke the way the light hits the buildings, creating a palpable atmosphere, and the overall effect is kind of melancholy. I am sure Malayan was in conversation with other painters from the past, but he was also saying something very particular about his own world. Isn't it amazing how a painting can be both personal and universal?