SPANISH PRISONERS 1972

Yervand Kochar created this artwork using watercolor, and gouache paint. This image speaks to the fraught politics of imagery in times of conflict and social upheaval. We see this in the figure’s classical features, which contrast sharply with the more modernist and cubist elements of the horse figure. The overall aesthetic effect is jarring, the composition is fragmented and disrupted. The figure appears to be inspired by Athena, the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom, handicraft, and warfare. Kochar was an Armenian artist who lived through periods of intense political conflict, including WWI, and Stalin’s purges. The classical style of the figure could be interpreted as a comment on the ways that state power is often legitimized through reference to the art and political structures of the past. In this image, the artist seems to be suggesting that such appeals to tradition are undermined by the realities of modern war and political oppression. By delving into Kochar’s biography, along with the history of 20th-century Armenia, we can gain a deeper appreciation of this painting’s political critique.