Boats on Yenisey 1972

Petros Malayan painted these boats on the Yenisey in thick, juicy strokes of oil paint. The brushwork is so present, it's like witnessing the act of painting itself. Look at how he builds up the water with these short, horizontal dashes. You can almost feel the movement, the slight chop of the waves. The colors are muted but rich, earthy greens and browns playing against the brighter accents of the boats. Notice how the light catches the edges of the boats, creating a sense of depth and form with simple contrasting tones. It reminds me a little of some of the bolder Fauvist painters like Vlaminck, who were also interested in capturing the raw energy of a scene. But Malayan brings his own sensibility, a kind of quiet intensity. It's not just a picture of boats; it's an experience of being there, on the Yenisey, feeling the air and seeing the light. It’s all about embracing the ambiguity of what we see and how we feel.