Flowers of Dilijan 1963

Martiros Sarian made this flower painting with oils, probably in his studio. Imagine him, brush in hand, building up those vibrant reds, yellows, and whites. It's a bouquet but also something more, a kind of portal, if you will. I see him trying to capture not just the look of the flowers, but their essence, their aliveness. There is a gorgeous energy! I'm always moved by how painters manage to make something so still, like a vase of flowers, feel so full of life. Like there could be bees in it, or a breeze. Those thick strokes of color create texture, depth, and an emotional punch. That droopy red flower, hanging down, feels like a personal gesture, maybe a little melancholic. Sarian must have been looking at Matisse, but also doing his own thing, finding his own way to make those flowers sing. When we paint, we're all in conversation with each other, across time and space, borrowing, stealing, and adding our own little riffs. Painting is embodied expression which embraces ambiguity, allowing for multiple interpretations and meaning.