Narrow Street 1972

Petros Malayan made this painting called Narrow Street, sometime before 1997, with what looks like watercolour. I love how the muted colours create a sense of mystery. It's almost like the painting is a memory fading at the edges. The texture is so interesting here; you can see the way the watercolour bleeds and blends into the paper, creating soft edges and hazy forms. Look at the way the archway pulls you into the depths of the painting, and the single figure standing to the side. The paint is applied so thinly in areas, allowing the surface to breathe, but in other areas the paint is more layered, adding depth and shadow. The way Malayan uses light is just masterful. It reminds me a little of some of Whistler’s nocturnes, but with a more personal, intimate feel. This isn’t just a depiction of a street, it's a mood, an atmosphere, a feeling captured in paint. It’s the kind of painting that invites you to get lost in it, to wander through its narrow streets and discover its secrets.