Karmravor. Ashtarak 1987

Petros Malayan made this painting of Karmravor in Ashtarak with oil. What strikes me first is the painting’s quiet mood. The color palette is mostly muted blues and browns, with soft brushstrokes suggesting the church’s form rather than defining it precisely. I imagine Malayan standing before the Karmravor, his eyes squinting slightly as he mixes the colors on his palette. Each stroke is a response, a conversation between him and the subject before him. I think back to Giorgio Morandi, another painter who found endless fascination in simple structures, in his case bottles, exploring the subtle shifts in light and atmosphere. Maybe Malayan felt a similar connection to Karmravor, drawn to its silent presence, its enduring form against the sky. Paintings like this remind us that artists are always in conversation, building on what came before, and daring to see the world anew.