Classical Art Living in the Modern World

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.