Paper art: wigs and attire of masters from St. Petersburg Asi and Dmitry Kozinykh

Some draw on paper, others make applications or origami out of it, but Asya Kozina and her husband Dmitry turn paper into incredible costumes, wigs, sculptures, dolls and other amazing things.

The Russian creative duo Asya and Dmitry Koziny creates whole worlds out of simple thick paper, with ships, buildings, waves and other elements. Each work of the couple requires perseverance and careful study of details, along with the ability to see the final result.

The joint story of Asi and Dmitry is based on the Baroque era and their passion for sculpture and paper art. They live in a perfect symbiosis and complement each other in everyday life and at work.

Historically, headdresses of the Baroque period were worn by both women and men to symbolize wealth and status. They often contained decorations such as sculptured fruits, flowers, and birds. Kozina explains that elaborate wigs have always fascinated her, admitting that they "don't make any practical sense, but they are beautiful."

The creation of intricate wigs takes the Kozins on average one week from the drawing to the physical product. Artists say that most of the painstaking work takes place at the stage of brainstorming and sketches — after the draft is agreed, you just need to create a sculpture.

Like their inspiring predecessors in the Baroque and Rococo eras, Kozina and Kozin like to fill their wigs with modern images of sophistication and wealth, such as airplanes and skyscrapers.

Their bizarre wigs were exhibited in museums, and in December 2019, two artists were invited to add their accessories to the models of the show on the Dolce & Gabbana catwalk. 

The series, created for Dolce & Gabanna, includes a whale and a lobster with fins woven into it and claws sticking out of the tops of complex parts.