Art Kaleidoscope

Between art and craft

Mandjos Mosaic art

Mandjos Mosaic art

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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Alexandra collectible art dolls

Alexandra collectible art dolls

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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Most expensive photograph in the world

Phantom - Most expensive photograph in the world

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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Nokeek – Book Illustrator Lena Gnedkova

Picture of travel - star street in Riga. Illustration by Nokeek - Lena Gnedkova

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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Russian artist Mikhail Petrov

Russian artist Mikhail Petrov. Somewhere on the Street

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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Ghosts in painting

Ghosts in painting. Viktor Borisov-Musatov 'Ghosts', 1903

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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Snow Maiden by Viktor Vasnetsov

Snow Maiden by Viktor Vasnetsov. Sketches of theatrical costumes. 1885

Sketches of theatrical costumes. 1885. Snow Maiden by Viktor Vasnetsov

Snow Maiden by Viktor Vasnetsov
We are accustomed to the fact that the tale has to be with a happy ending. But in the spring fairy tale verse “Snow Maiden”, written by a playwright Alexander Ostrovsky, the tale has a sad end. And the scenery created by Viktor Vasnetsov for the first stage of home theater of Savva Mamontov, and then to the opera “Snow Maiden”, were unaccustomed to the public. Making this performance in 1882 led to the fabulous discoveries, important not only for the theater, but also for the painting of the time. Until Vasnetsov luxurious and ornate decorations traveled from one setting to another: today it was a Russian fairy tale, and tomorrow the east.
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