Mother's portrait 1965

Curator: Mariam Aslamazian's "Mother's Portrait" from 1965 offers such a poignant, still moment. It's oil on canvas, painted during the Soviet era. What catches your eye? Editor: The colour palette—it's so grounded! I mean, the hues seem to come from the earth itself. It's got me wondering about the pigment sources available at that time, in that location, you know? And the woman's hands – they tell a story of labour, don't they? Curator: Absolutely! There's a life etched in them, wouldn’t you say? To me, her hands and face tell a powerful story, and she seems almost like an oracle… The palette reinforces that earth-mother energy. And look at that painting hanging on the wall behind her. It feels almost like another dimension—so free, so dreamlike. I wonder if it holds memories or maybe just hopes and inspirations. Editor: Interesting point about the background! It makes me think more deeply about display culture, really. It gives such great clues regarding the consumer life cycles that the artist engaged with, and I bet even that woman... the painting's scale also seems worth investigating here! What might her art supplies have cost? What does the work suggest about Aslamazian’s social networks? It just opens up a wealth of questions. Curator: Those are good questions to be sure. But don't you get a feeling of real tenderness coming from this work? There's an openness, a kind of grace, that is compelling to consider from an entirely more intimate point of view too, don't you think? And the choice of such muted shades - is it restraint or acceptance? Or, dare I say, rebellion in plain sight? A challenge to the bright, triumphant hues of socialist realism, perhaps. Editor: Well, to be honest, perhaps! At least when you point out that background, you do persuade me slightly! What do we see now as valuable and worth preserving from this time, or perhaps even choosing to consume, from all that past artistic production? I'd say more research into the means of this portrait's production, as well as its presentation in the context of art during the time of painting is vital. Curator: Agreed, agreed. And the beauty, even poetry in the mundane… it’s so vital for the moment in our life today. It can make your imagination run rampant if you truly let it! Editor: Absolutely. Considering those issues lets me enjoy the piece just that bit more. Thanks.