Untitled (Kond) 1980

Petros Malayan made this painting of the Kond district, likely using watercolors, though the date is unknown. The Kond district was one of the oldest parts of Yerevan, Armenia, known for its traditional architecture and tight-knit community. We can read this image as a representation of Yerevan's sense of place and cultural identity. The somewhat drab palette and the seemingly precarious architecture points to the city's struggles during the Soviet era, as well as the forced displacement of Armenian peoples that continued through the twentieth century. If we research municipal archives, oral histories, and perhaps even literature of the period, we can better understand how this image challenges or reinforces the official narratives of that time, in order to fully appreciate its historical and social meaning. The interpretation of art depends on its social and institutional context.