Gardens and Ararat 1937

Martiros Sarian created this drawing, Gardens and Ararat, using what looks like graphite or charcoal. The marks are so raw, it feels like watching Sarian work, a direct trace of hand to paper, that's so exciting! I love how the texture of the ground becomes these energetic scribbles that pull you into the space, while the mountain range dissolves in soft, cloudy lines. See how the houses are just outlines, like a quick sketch, but they still feel solid? That's the beauty of a confident line. And those figures in the foreground, huddled together, give the whole scene a human scale. It reminds me of some of Guston's later, more diaristic drawings. Both artists share a similar ethos, where the act of drawing becomes a form of thinking. They show us that art isn’t about perfection, but about embracing the messy, imperfect beauty of the world around us.