Ashtarak 1933

Martiros Sarian made this drawing, Ashtarak, in 1933 with what looks like graphite on paper. Look at the way the lines aren't precious, how they describe form but also just kind of exist on their own. Artmaking is a process of trying things out, seeing what happens, and the beauty of drawing is that you can see the artist thinking. Sarian's lines are sometimes tentative, sometimes bold, and they build up to create a sense of depth and space. I'm drawn to the arched doorways, the way the lines curve and intersect, creating a sense of weight and solidity. But then, the balconies above are so light and airy, almost like they're floating. This combination of groundedness and ethereality is what makes the drawing so captivating. I think of Giorgio Morandi, another artist who found endless inspiration in the simple forms around him, though Morandi had a very different way of working. Ultimately, this piece reminds us that art is an ongoing conversation, an exchange of ideas and ways of seeing that spans generations.