Old Yerevan, Kond 1988

Petros Malayan made this painting of Old Yerevan, Kond, at an unknown date, probably with oil on canvas or board. The tonal palette of ochre, umber and grey creates a sense of depth and recession, drawing the eye from foreground to background, and the composition emphasizes the process of artmaking as a journey of discovery, with each mark and color choice shaping the final outcome. Look at the texture of the roofs, how the light seems to rake across their surfaces, lending a tactile quality to the scene. Malayan seems to conceal the surface and obscure the method by which he applied the paint. This adds to the mystery of the piece and emphasizes the conceptual depth over the purely representational. Notice how the stone wall in the foreground anchors the composition, and consider how the artist uses a limited palette to create a sense of atmosphere. Thinking of artists like Giorgio Morandi, Malayan embraces ambiguity, and invites us to bring our own interpretations to the work.