Still-life with Indian masks and shoes 1977

Mariam Aslamazian made this oil on canvas still life, overflowing with masks, shoes and draped fabric. The colour palette is warm and inviting, a blend of sunny yellows, rich purples, and earthy browns, that pulls you right in. Up close, you can see how the texture adds so much to the painting's charm. It's not about hiding the brushstrokes; it's about letting them build up, thick and juicy. The yellow drapery has a fluidity to it, and look at the way she's handled the folds – each one a deliberate stroke of color, almost like a dance across the canvas. And then there are the shoes! Each one is so individual with their little embroidered details that seem to hint at stories and travels. Aslamazian reminds me of other artists who celebrate the everyday, like Alice Neel, finding beauty in the overlooked. I love art’s ability to embrace ambiguity.