Ararat valley 1945

Martiros Sarian created this landscape, Ararat Valley, with oil on canvas. The image presents a view of the iconic Mount Ararat, which looms large in the Armenian cultural imagination. Sarian was part of the avant-garde movement in early 20th-century Russian and Armenian art. He was influenced by symbolism and Fauvism. The Fauvist influence is evident in Sarian’s expressive use of colour to capture the unique atmosphere of the Armenian landscape. It’s impossible to view this image without understanding the politics of its time. Although Mount Ararat is a national symbol of Armenia, it lies within Turkish territory, a legacy of the Armenian genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman government. The woman in the foreground and the empty vista behind the mountain are heavy with the symbolism of loss and longing. To understand the power of this image, consider the history of Armenia, its national myths and the ways its artists have given visual form to both trauma and hope.