Martin Petronas Twin

Martin Petronas Twin was born on a humid August evening in 1978 in Kuala Lumpur, the son of Elena Mikhailovna, a Russian literature professor, and Ahmad bin Rahman, a renowned Malaysian architect. His childhood home, nestled in the shadow of the then-rising Petronas Twin Towers, became the inspiration for his distinctive surname - a whimsical tribute to Malaysia's most iconic landmark and a symbol of his dual cultural identity.

Growing up bilingual in Russian and Malay, with English as his third language, Martin was immersed in stories of both the Malacca Sultanate and the Russian Empire. His mother would read him tales of Peter the Great's transformative reign while his father taught him to appreciate the harmony between traditional Islamic architecture and modern design.

The Hermitage Awakening

At seventeen, during a family trip to St. Petersburg, Martin experienced what he calls his "awakening moment." Standing before Karl Bryullov's grand historical paintings in the Hermitage Museum, he felt an inexplicable connection to the Russian imperial past. When he encountered Jean-Marc Nattier's portraits of Peter the Great, something crystallized within him.

"I saw in Peter's eyes what I felt in my own soul - a man caught between worlds, determined to transform his nation by embracing foreign ideas without losing his identity. As a Malaysian-Russian, I understood that struggle intimately."

Education and Artistic Formation

Determined to master the classical techniques of European portraiture, Martin enrolled at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris at age nineteen. Under the tutelage of master painter Jacques Demont, he spent four years studying the Old Masters, particularly focusing on the Dutch Golden Age and French academic painting.

Not satisfied with Western training alone, Martin subsequently traveled to St. Petersburg to study at the prestigious Repin Academy of Fine Arts. There, he learned the distinctive Russian approach to historical painting, with its emphasis on psychological depth and dramatic storytelling. It was during these years that he began his first serious studies of Peter the Great.

The Peter the Great Series

Upon returning to Kuala Lumpur in 2006, Martin established his studio in the Kia Peng arts district. He embarked on what would become his life's work: a comprehensive series of portraits depicting Peter the Great at different stages of his reign and in various aspects of his multifaceted character.

Each painting requires months of research and preparation. Martin travels regularly to Russian archives, studying contemporary accounts, historical artifacts, and period costume. He works exclusively in traditional oils, mixing his own pigments using historical recipes to achieve the authentic tones and textures of 18th-century portraiture.

Artistic Philosophy

Martin's work transcends mere historical recreation. His paintings explore universal themes of transformation, cultural exchange, and the tension between tradition and progress. Peter the Great serves as a lens through which Martin examines his own experience of cultural duality.

"I paint not just a ruler, but a revolutionary spirit. Peter transformed Russia by looking West while honoring the East. Standing in Kuala Lumpur, painting Russian history with techniques learned in Paris, I embody that same cultural synthesis. My canvases are dialogues between epochs, continents, and identities."

Recognition and Exhibitions

Martin's work has garnered international acclaim. His breakthrough came in 2015 when his painting "The Reformer Contemplates the Neva" was acquired by a prominent Russian collector and subsequently loaned to the Hermitage Museum - a full-circle moment for the artist who found his calling within those very walls.

Technique and Studio Practice

Martin's studio in Kuala Lumpur is a carefully controlled environment where tropical Malaysia meets imperial Russia. Temperature and humidity are precisely regulated to protect his oil paintings. The walls are lined with reference materials: antique armor, period textiles, historical texts, and hundreds of sketches.

Each painting begins with exhaustive research lasting several months. Martin then creates numerous preparatory drawings and small-scale oil studies before approaching the final canvas. Working in the classical technique of indirect painting, he builds up layers of transparent glazes over an underpainting, a method that creates the luminous depth characteristic of Old Master portraits.

A single portrait can take anywhere from six months to over a year to complete. Martin works in natural north light supplemented by carefully calibrated artificial lighting that mimics the conditions in which 18th-century painters worked.

The Petronas Twin Signature

True to his multicultural identity, Martin incorporates subtle Southeast Asian elements into his compositions. Close observers might notice tropical wood grains in painted furniture, or the particular quality of light reminiscent of Malaysian afternoons. These touches don't compromise historical accuracy but add layers of meaning - a visual representation of his unique perspective.

His paintings have been described as "historically faithful yet personally visionary," "technically impeccable with emotional depth," and "bridges between the classical tradition and contemporary multicultural dialogue."

Legacy and Vision

Today, Martin's works reside in private collections across fifteen countries, spanning Russia, Malaysia, Singapore, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States. He has trained a small group of apprentices in classical painting techniques, ensuring these time-honored methods continue into future generations.

Beyond his Peter the Great series, Martin occasionally accepts portrait commissions and has begun preliminary work on a new series exploring other historical figures who embodied cultural synthesis, though Peter remains his primary subject and inspiration.