Francis Berger
  • Blog
  • My Work

Classical Art Living in the Modern World

2/7/2020

4 Comments

 
Photographer Alexey Kondakov has created a whimsical and engaging series of images in which he has superimposed figures from classical paintings onto urban settings in Kiev and other contemporary cities. The result is a playful and enchanting series of photos that provide an an answer to the question - What if figures from paintings lived in our modern world?

Of course, placing figures from art and literature into contemporary settings is certainly nothing new; nevertheless, Kondakov's ability to seamlessly set his scenes and make them appear natural is both spirited and impressive.

What I like about Kondakov's photos is the deeper truth at which they hint. The classical figures in modern urban settings elevate these everyday scenes out of the mundane. But here's the thing - the reality we live in is never mundane.

Quite the opposite - it is a living, breathing work of art. Creation in flux. Regarding reality as mundane is evidence of faulty or lazy consciousness. Our reality is only banal if we allow it to be. If we engage with reality using the full force of our imagination - if we begin to interact with reality through our thinking - not only we will see art everywhere, we can start to play a significant role in its creation.  
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
4 Comments
S.K. Orr link
2/9/2020 00:58:20

I liked these, especially the blonde Madonna holding the Child and lamb on the stairwell. As you noted, Francis, the deeper truths at which they hint are inescapable, IF we have eyes to see the extraordinary in everyday life.

Reply
Francis Berger
2/9/2020 10:25:03

I couldn't agree more, SK. It's so easy to regard life as mundane, when it is anything but that.

Reply
William James Tychonievich link
2/10/2020 10:22:04

I enjoyed these all, though in different ways. Like SK, I was particularly affected by the Madonna and Child on the stairwell. As for the basketball one, it's just a joke -- but, well, I like jokes, too.

Reply
Francis Berger
2/10/2020 11:05:27

@ Wm - Yes, I agree with both of you - the Madonna is my favorite, too. I was going to post another one that I found even more touching, but I couldn't find a proper sized photo of that image.

As I mentioned in my post, the idea is not a new one, but the delivery is quite imaginative and playful.

I was going to post a couple that depicted scenes from a disco/dance club. They were quite funny, but I didn't want people to get the wrong idea.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    RSS Feed

    Blog and Comments

    Blog posts tend to be spontaneous, unpolished, first draft entries ranging from the insightful and periodically profound to the poorly-argued and occasionally disparaging.
     

    Comments are moderated. Anonymous comments are never published (please use your name or a pseudonym). 

    Emails welcome:

    f er en c ber g er (at) h otm   ail (dot) co m
    Blogs/Sites I Read
    Bruce Charlton's Notions
    Meeting the Masters
    From The Narrow Desert
    Synlogos ✞ Aggregator
    New World Island  
    New World Island YouTube
    ​Steeple Tea
    Adam Piggott
    Fourth Gospel Blog
    The Orthosphere
    Junior Ganymede
    GunnerQ2

    Archives

    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    June 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    April 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012

    Picture
    A free PDF is also available in My Work. 
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.