Workers of Petrovka Factory 1973

Curator: So, we’re looking at "Workers of Petrovka Factory" painted in 1973 by Petros Malayan. It’s a watercolor piece, done in a style often associated with Soviet Nonconformist Art. Editor: Hmm, my initial feeling is one of slightly faded grandeur. The colours are muted, like memories softened over time, or maybe like costumes dusted off after a long period in storage. Curator: That’s an interesting take. Given the sociopolitical backdrop, I tend to read those muted tones as a form of subtle resistance. This was the era of the Brezhnev Stagnation after all. The work gestures to labour, while at the same time feeling so unlike socialist realism in its style. Editor: I see what you mean about the lack of forced heroism; it's like a snapshot rather than a staged production. Though, that regal bearing of the figures, and the inclusion of decorative vessels, does hint at a yearning for more ornate narratives perhaps. Curator: Precisely! This yearning clashes with the prevailing ideology of the time, making it an act of defiance. We're presented with labourers, yes, but laborers framed by an aesthetic world that is neither conventionally 'Soviet' nor overtly critical but sits in some ambiguous middle. This watercolor captures both the subject matter of labor and an expressive sensibility that runs distinctly contrary to Socialist Realism’s typical bombast. Editor: Do you think it also points towards Armenia, or broader Caucasian identities beyond the strictly Soviet? Something about the faces reminds me of historical portraiture of that region. Curator: Absolutely. Malayan’s Armenian identity is important. He navigates this difficult territory by evoking a sense of place and belonging without necessarily celebrating the Soviet project wholesale. It also echoes the concerns around forced relocation within the USSR during that time. There is this feeling that the people are in a place that may or may not feel like 'home'. Editor: So, even in its understatement, this watercolour is communicating multitudes about identity, labour and artistic freedom. What a layered, evocative painting. Curator: Exactly. The work resonates long after you've left it, it invites quiet reflection on that turbulent era.