Alexey Kondakov is a Ukrainian artist adored for his hilarious works that feature people from classical paintings placed into the modern world and its scenarios. Kondakov’s dressed or naked classical figures pose oddly and yet befitting in places where we carry out our daily activities like subways, markets, cars, and many others. The result of his photo manipulations is not only remarkable but surprisingly mischievous.
Kondak started his works as an artistic experiment in Kyiv and named it The Daily Life of Gods. Most of the photographs are captured in Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine whereas most of the classical paintings are taken from the Renaissance period. His Napoli Project features classical characters placed onto modern-day scenes in the Italian city of Naples. Though the project is primarily based in Italy, Kondakov superimposes paintings onto other European sites as well, including Berlin and London.
Among the creations, Kondakov features feminine belles from the Pre-Raphaelite works of Bouguereau, Waterhouse, Leighton, as well as other romantic characters from Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical art. These muses, either dressed in supple flowing robes or not dressed at all, gain a new narrative in Kondakov’s works. By this manipulation of old paintings and placing their protagonists in modern clothing shops and public transports, Kondakov creates a new relatable life around old paintings.
Caravaggio’s David and Goliath, William-Adolphe Bouguereau’s Nymphs and Satyr, and Cesar van Everdeen’s Bacchus are meticulously photoshopped onto buses, down alleyways, and in stores. The figures form the impression of a new era where mythological creatures and religious figures meet contemporary urban existence.
See more of Alexey’s work on his instagram @alksko
What do you think?