Memphis 1911

Martiros Sarian’s drawing, “Memphis,” captures a scene of daily life with just a few strokes of pencil on paper. The immediacy of the medium is striking here. We see figures carrying goods on their heads, moving across the landscape. The pencil, a humble implement, allows Sarian to convey a sense of place and atmosphere with remarkable efficiency. You can almost feel the heat and dust of Egypt. The lightness of the material belies the skill required to capture form and light with such economy. The rapid strokes suggest a mind quickly capturing what it sees in front of it. Unlike the careful, laboured oil paintings displayed elsewhere, this drawing speaks to a different kind of artistic practice, one rooted in observation, and the ready availability of humble materials. It reminds us that artistry can reside not only in grand statements, but in the quiet moments of everyday life.