The portrait of younger Zenob 1962

Mariam Aslamazian made this oil painting, The Portrait of Younger Zenob, using an earthy palette with decisive strokes that really map out the topography of this man’s face. You can see that Aslamazian is unafraid to leave the marks visible; it’s all about the process, right? I love the way she builds up the texture, especially around the eyes and the mouth. The paint isn’t shy; it's thick and sculptural, giving Zenob a real presence. The way Aslamazian uses these reds and browns to define the contours of his face, it's almost like she's carving him out of the canvas. The eyebrows are wild, expressive strokes, kinda like two caterpillars doing the tango. There's something about the directness of this portrait that reminds me of Alice Neel, that same unflinching gaze, that same love for the humanity in front of them. It’s in that direct, no-nonsense approach that the real magic happens. Art isn't about answers; it's about asking the questions in the first place.