Still Life with Ceramics ` 1979

Petros Malayan made this Still Life with Ceramics using watercolour at an unknown date. The whole thing feels like it was made in one breath, like a jazz solo, with quick, confident marks and a limited palette. Look at how he's laid down these washes, how fluid and thin the paint is in some areas, almost staining the paper, and then thicker and more opaque in others, like the dark accents outlining the shapes. Notice how he's used the white of the paper as a highlight, a really bold move that keeps the whole composition light and airy. There's this sense of immediacy, like he's capturing a fleeting moment, a glimpse of everyday objects transformed into something special. The way Malayan flattens the space and simplifies the forms reminds me a bit of early Cezanne, that interest in structure, but there’s also a freedom, a looseness that feels very modern. He's not trying to trick you into thinking this is real, it's about the act of seeing, the joy of painting.