India's constructer woman 1979

Mariam Aslamazian made this painting, India's constructer woman, using oil on canvas, in no particular year that we know of. The application of paint feels immediate, almost intuitive, like a sketch fleshed out in colour. Look at how the texture of the canvas remains visible, grounding the scene in the physicality of the medium. There's something wonderful in the way that the colours meet, not blending seamlessly but vibrating with a life of their own. Take the pink and green stripes of the central figure's skirt – each stroke is laid with an assuredness that speaks to Aslamazian's confidence in her craft. The strokes are bold, distinct. Aslamazian's contemporary, Matisse, would have been interested in this piece. Like him, she seems less concerned with perfection than with the joy of painting itself, capturing a sense of life as it unfolds. It reminds us that art is not about answers, but about the questions we ask and the connections we make.