Khostinsky onion 1980

Mariam Aslamazian’s painting presents us with a basket of onions in an intimate still life. The onion, seemingly humble, carries a rich symbolic weight throughout history. In ancient Egypt, it symbolized eternity due to its concentric layers, even finding a place in the tombs of pharaohs. Consider how the onion appears in Dutch Golden Age paintings, often alluding to the transience of life and the vanities of earthly pleasures. Yet here, Aslamazian’s depiction feels more celebratory. The vivid colors and textural brushstrokes transform a simple basket of onions into a vibrant study of light and form. One might see the basket itself as a symbol of abundance and domesticity. The painting may evoke a sense of comfort, drawing on our collective memory of home and hearth. The composition, bursting with color and life, presents a cyclical progression: from the earth to the table and back to the earth, an echo of life’s ever-repeating cycles.