Dove c. 1940

Curator: Sarkis Erganian's "Dove," created circa 1940 using watercolor and drawing techniques, greets us today. It is a simple yet powerful avian portrait. Editor: The earthiness of the dove against the stark white backdrop really strikes me. It looks like it's sculpted from bronze, rather than painted. Curator: Yes, that brown monochromatic tone lends it an aged, almost archaeological quality. Doves, of course, are loaded with symbolism, especially that of peace, innocence, hope... Editor: Absolutely. And Erganian made this piece around 1940...on the cusp of massive global conflict, and then during. Was he longing for peace? What's the potential relationship with world affairs, as well as the Armenian Genocide, that shaped Erganian's life? Curator: That's a very valid connection. It's hard not to see this dove as a yearning for tranquility amidst turmoil, or a symbol of survival. Watercolors, so delicate and transparent, carrying such weight. What an era to try and depict these sentiments with. Editor: Though small and unassuming, the image carries the weight of hope—a hope, maybe, that felt distant in those times. Its simplicity, for me, enhances that vulnerability. The deliberate archaism that you point out makes me think of ancient Christian icons and similar classical imagery, and that dove might connect that artistic memory with lived experience, filtered by political conflicts of Erganian's era. Curator: The layering of visual traditions here is powerful. From a bird, a dove, to global anxieties of conflict, the piece invites multiple angles, all intersecting on this painted surface. Editor: Indeed. Art acts as a potent cultural echo, especially one as subtle and resonant as this small watercolor. Curator: Yes, it really emphasizes art's role not just in reflecting history, but in helping us negotiate hope. Editor: Precisely. That it allows such breadth from something that looks like a minor, and quickly-produced, piece… that makes Erganian's "Dove" memorable for me.