Flowers 1937

Martiros Sarian made this painting of flowers in no specified year, with a kind of urgent generosity, I'd say. The buttery strokes capture the weight of each petal. Look at how the thick application and loaded brush create a palpable sense of volume and texture. Each flower exists not just as a representation, but as a physical thing, built up from layers of oil paint. Check out the brushstrokes in the yellow flowers, how they seem to bloom right out of the canvas. It feels like Sarian is not just painting what he sees, but showing us how he sees, each stroke a kind of personal translation. There’s something about the freedom in Sarian's work that reminds me of Van Gogh's sunflower paintings, but with a uniquely personal twist. Both artists share this almost obsessive need to capture the ephemeral quality of nature, but through a uniquely personal vision. In both cases, art becomes an experience, something alive and ever-changing.