Myosotis and pomegranate, 2023

John Black  

In, John Black turns to the symbolic power of flora to reflect on conflict, memory, and reconciliation. This poignant diptych addresses the historical tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan through the representation of their respective national symbols: the pomegranate for Armenia and the forget-me-not () for Azerbaijan.

Each flower is painted on a separate canvas, visually distinct yet compositionally intertwined. The pomegranates — bold, red, ripe — occupy one side of the diptych with striking solidity and cultural weight. Opposite them, a constellation of soft blue forget-me-nots spreads across the other canvas, evoking memory, gentleness, and fragility. Despite being placed on different panels, the flowers are connected by sweeping lines of composition and color, suggesting a shared landscape — divided, but not disconnected.

Overlaid across both canvases is a transparent acrylic sheet, laser-cut with the word in both Armenian and Azerbaijani. The script gently floats across the blooms, offering a fragile yet enduring bridge between cultures historically at odds. The decision to render the word in each national language underscores the artist's belief in the necessity of mutual recognition for true reconciliation.