In Ulan-Ude, the canvases of famous painters came to life at the cultural and leisure center "Rassvet," where a performance titled "Living Paintings in Sunny Ulan-Ude" took place. This is a joint project by the Union of Theater Workers of Buryatia and the R.S. Merdygeev Children’s Art School. Ten portraits were selected for the project, including “Merchant’s Wife at Tea” by Boris Kustodiev, “Verka” by Filipp Malyavin, “Girl with a Pearl Earring” by Jan Vermeer, self-portraits by Van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, and others. Director Evgenia Gerasimova and artist Svetlana Puzakova worked on "bringing the portraits to life." Actors from local theaters transformed into the characters of these portraits, closely replicating the originals with meticulously selected costumes, wigs, and makeup, according to the press service of the Ministry of Culture of Buryatia. The "living paintings" paraded through the KDC hall to musical accompaniment, each taking turns to occupy the central spot on the stage. After striking a pose similar to the original, the character would suddenly come to life. At that moment, Caravaggio's “Young Man with a Basket of Fruit” would start eating grapes, Kustodiev’s merchant’s wife would drink tea from a saucer, and Mona Lisa would grace the audience with her signature smile. The performance was accompanied by commentary on each painting.