Ossetian child prodigy wins public’s affection

His talent is a mystery for many painters and art experts. His paintings have received numerous Russian and international awards, and some of them have been purchased by private collectors and galleries.

Thirteen-year-old Timur Andiev, an Ossetian lives in Alagir, a small town not far away from the North Ossetian capital in Russia’s south. He is inspired by Salvador Dali, and the success of his work suggests that one day the young artist may become as famous as his prominent predecessor.

Sometimes he likes his own paintings from the very first brush stroke. Sometimes he can put the canvas in the closet for weeks or even leave the picture unfinished. Like every painter, Timur Andiev needs inspiration. “At first, I did a draft. And after a few months I looked at that painting again and decided to finish it,” Timur says.

When he started drawing at the age of five, Timur did not know anything about art. But everyone in his small town was surprised by the boy’s rich imagination and the advanced drawing techniques he was using.

At the age of nine he started taking art lessons. But instead of learning to play by the rules, like his teachers wanted, the boy tried to stick to his own style.

Ever since he was little, Timur Andiev has been dreaming about the African desert, which can be seen in dozens of his paintings.

There were no artists in Timur’s family before, so it was a big surprise, when the boy, one of the four children in the house, started to show such progress. But for Timur it is not only a hobby. Painting helps him to fight a serious blood vessel disorder. Between school and his exhibitions, he has to go through checkups at the hospital.

His paintings have received numerous Russian and International awards. Some of them have been purchased by private collectors and galleries in Greece, France and the UK.

Madina Ataeva, Deputy Culture Minister of North Ossetia, has been following Timur’s carreer from the very beginning. She is certain that he’s got a big future. “It’s amazing how mature his vision is for his young age. It’s not often that you see an artist who found his own distinctive style, his own approach to the viewers, and what’s most important – this boy has got something to say,” she believes.

Even though he is getting used to larger audiences, Timur Andiev still likes to show his art to the Ossetian public. Like a serious artist, he is preparing for his next exhibition that will open in the local arts centre in June. But like every other kid in town, he can't wait – because that's when  summer vacation starts.