Exponatus 

Konstantin Korobov painted "Exponatus" using traditional oil techniques, but the content is anything but conventional. The figure's pose evokes centuries of depictions of Saint Sebastian, the early Christian martyr famously executed by arrows. But here, the arrows are replaced by common pins, which pin the figure to the canvas, as if he were an insect for study. The light and shadow have been expertly rendered, resulting in a stark contrast between the hyper-realistic body and the clinical, almost brutal, act of pinning. This uncanny juxtaposition is at the heart of the work's meaning. The painting highlights a contrast between the traditions of art and the social context of the late capitalist system, prompting us to reflect on the meaning of labor, the value of the human body, and the way in which these have been historically defined.