
The Song of the Angels —
How would classical figures fare in the urban jungle? Ukrainian artist Alexey Kondakov explores the idea in his series 'The Daily Lives of Gods'. Photoshopping characters from mythology and antiquity into the modern day city, he argues that by inviting these characters to "visit" our reality, we reveal a common humanity that binds us all - one that transcends the ages.
Here, Kondakov takes "The Song of the Angels" (1881) by French painter William-Adolphe Bouguereau and transports the Virgin Mary and child to a subway carriage, harangued by heavenly buskers.

Venus and Adonis —
Kondakov's inspiration came from an unlikely source: a Tumblr photograph of a group of people out drinking. Their composition, somewhat like a classical painting, struck a chord with the artist, realizing that despite the centuries that had lapsed since such artworks were created, social gatherings have remained much the same. A pastiche of "Venus and Adonis"(1565-69) by Lucas Cambiaso, transformed into late night revelers, rendering bathetic a tragic moment from Ovid's "Metamorphosis".

Bacchus on the Throne —
Through the power of Photoshop, Kondakov, based in Kiev, invites these figures into our reality to pay us a visit and show what, if anything, has changed.Caesar Van Everdingen's "Bacchus on the Throne" (1658/1670) shows the god of harvest and fertility seemingly exasperated by winter in Kiev.

David and Goliath —
Here Caravaggio's "David and Goliath" (1610) is inserted into a shady corner, reimagining the young hero as an urban vigilante.

Nymphs and Satyr —
Another Bouguereau, this time "Nymphs and Satyr" (1873), displaying a riotous scene at the back of a tram.

Apollon —
"Apollon" (c. 17th century) by Nicolas Regnier, the god of music, now a lonely busker on the commuter route.

The Kiss —
Italian Romantic Francesco Hayez portrays a couple from the Middle Ages in "The Kiss" (1859), the intense moment catapulted from courtly surrounds into a midnight train carriage by Kondakov.

Penitent Mary Magdalene —
Florentine painter Francesco Furini's "Penitent Mary Magdalene" (1635-45) ruminates in a shop front.

The Youth of Bacchus —
Kodakov takes the party from "The Youth of Bacchus" (1884) by Bouguereau to the underpass.

The Heart's Awakening —
Bouguereau's "The Heart's Awakening" (1892), capturing love's first pang in a quiet corner of Kiev.
The Ambassadors —
"The Ambassadors" (1553) by Hans Holbein the Younger find a new role as downtown barflies.

The Prisoner —
A lone nymph in "The Prisoner" (1891) by Bouguereau rides a bus, holding the gaze of someone outside the canvas.

The Creation of Adam —
Finally, in yet another take on the viral Miicrosoft website that can guess your age from a photograph, Kondakov reimagines Michelangelo's "Creation of Adam."


