Art Kaleidoscope

The Pyramids of Giza. Hyperrealistic pencil drawing by Ashraf Malique

Hyperrealistic pencil drawing by Ashraf Malique
22-year-old Singaporean artist Ashraf Malique (Mohd Ashraf Abdul Malik) has admirers from across the globe. In fact, he started sharing his art works on social websites while studying at the Lasalle College of Arts. According to Ashraf Malique, before starting his he carefully examines the subject of drawing – whether it is a building, or a structure. In particular, his first piece of highly-detailed drawing of the Eiffel Tower looks incredibly realistic, as well as other drawings – Pyramids of Giza, Dubai of Emirates. “Usually, when people look at a building, they look at the big picture. But I tend to look at it closer and how it was built,” said Mr Ashraf. “For instance, the Eiffel Tower was built from the base, ground up. I used the same approach for my drawing.”
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Andrey Mandjos standing next to his creation. Mandjos Mosaic art

Mandjos Mosaic art
Noteworthy, enamel mosaic by Andrey Mandjos is an entirely new direction in the world of fine art, not knowing any analogue in the history of mosaics. And in the history of enamel, made of classic jewelry materials – non-ferrous metals and hot enamel. In fact, this mosaic revolution occurred in the beginning of the XXI century. The most elite and expensive type of jewelry art – the art of enamel used in the creation of outstanding awards, salary icons of various objects and ornaments, including the famous Faberge Easter eggs.
Such artistic breakthrough in the history of world culture is very rare, once in a hundred years. Meanwhile, its author has a patent of the Russian Federation and Mandjos Mosaic – officially recognized in 2012. According to international art experts, Mandjos Mosaic art is a national treasure of Russia, worth museum collections.
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Historical authenticity, excellence and quality – Alexandra collectible art dolls

Alexandra collectible art dolls
Russian doll artist Alexandra Kukinova graduated from the Art School of Moscow Academic Art Theatre of Chekhov. A member of the Union of Artists of Russia, Alexandra creates exquisite porcelain art collections (including historical dolls) and souvenir porcelain dolls. Collectible handmade art dolls created by talented master have historical authenticity, excellence and quality.
In 1989 Alexandra Kukinova founded her own art studio “Alexandra”. By now “Alexandra” – participant of the largest doll international exhibitions in Russia, Europe and the United States, winner of professional competitions.
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Phantom – Most expensive photograph in the world (6.5 million dollars)

Most expensive photograph in the world
Noteworthy, “Phantom” has become the most expensive photograph in history. The photograph by Australian photographer Peter Lik, sold in Los Angeles went to a private collector for 6.5 million dollars, according to The Guardian. Thus, was beaten the previous record of the most expensive photograph in the world, owned by German Andreas Gursky. Done in Antelope Canyon in southwest United States, “Phantom” by Peter Lik shows the beam penetrating into the cave through the gully. Meanwhile, clot light resembles a ghost, “Phantom”. According to the publication, an admirer of Lik previously acquired his pictures “Illusion” for $ 2.4 million and “Eternal mood” for 1.1 million dollars.
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Picture of travel – star street in Riga. Drawing by Nokeek – Book Illustrator Lena Gnedkova

Book illustrator Lena Gnedkova, aka Nokeek, works in mixed technique of painting – Book graphics, illustration, Computer Graphics. Among her art works – series of handpainted greeting cards, which she sells online. Lena Gnedkova illustrates what she likes – children’s books, series of drawings include Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes, Doctor Who, Dead Man, etc. Her favorite writers are Gaiman, Lindgren, Jansson, Carroll, Bradbury, Saint-Exupery, Wilde, Tolkien, Strugatsky, Gumilev, Mandelstam, Lorca. Not much is known about the artist, except the fact that she is a young and beautiful amateur artist living in Volgograd, Russia. Lena Gnedkova was born 2 February 1990. As a child she attended art school in Volgograd. In 2007 she graduated from the Volgograd State University, faculty of Information Technology.
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Winter Street in the moonlight. Painting by Russian artist Mikhail Petrov

Born in 1956 in Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg), Russian artist Mikhail Petrov grew up in the family of geologists.
Meanwhile, in 1960 the family moved to Ufa. According to Mikhail Petrov, he loved drawing since childhood, and attended art school. After completing his study in the Ufa Art school, he entered the School of Industrial Art, from which he successfully graduated.
A permanent participant of regional exhibitions, works by Mikhail Petrov are not only in Russia but also in private collections abroad. In particular, in the USA, France, Bulgaria, England, and Turkey. Mikhail Petrov paints in oils on canvas or cardboard. He currently lives and works in Ufa.
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Viktor Borisov-Musatov ‘Ghosts’, 1903. Ghosts in painting

Ghosts in painting
Undoubtedly, many of us know the expression “River of Time”. And in the painting by Viktor Borisov-Musatov “Ghosts”, you can see what’s going on on its mysterious shores. Time is fleeting, however, it has only one direction: from the past to the future. And into the past you can return only in your dreams and memories. On the canvas of the artist ghosts of the past “come alive”. It is getting dark in the old manor park. The path of a quite specific park in the estate of Zubrilov, where he painted this landscape, takes fantastic shapes. The painting is filled with a soft rustle of leaves and a whisper of long-extinct votes. Smears of matte tempera are put so easy that through them shines weave of the canvas, and the rhythm of figures is incorrect, elusive. Their lines are swaying, melting, and it seems that you can hear the quiet melody.
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