The dancer from Madras 1951

Mariam Aslamazian made this painting, The dancer from Madras, with oil on canvas. It’s all about colors bouncing off each other, right? The red of the sheet mixing with the green of the stylized flowers, and the ochre cloth wrapped around the figure’s waist. There’s something so pleasurable about the way Aslamazian applies the paint. It’s thick in places, but mostly flattened out, so that we don’t get too much sense of depth. I’m especially drawn to the bold outlines around the dancer’s figure. They're not fussy or precise, but they define the form and add to the overall energy of the painting. The umbrella behind the figure feels like a flattened stage prop, which I love. This reminds me of Matisse and his odalisques, but Aslamazian's work has an interesting political edge, celebrating women from different cultures. It’s a great example of how painting can be both beautiful and thoughtful, inviting us to see the world in new ways.