Here’s the premise: Little Red Riding Hood takes a trip through the ages, stepping into the lush and lusty worlds of Caravaggio, Botticelli, Velazquez. How does she do this? Ukrainian-born photographer Anton Solomoukha poses photos of her and other models, clothed and naked, and places them collage style

in a Renaissance setting, or something initially reminiscent of such. While the deep, rich colors clearly reference the great masters, the scenes depart fairly drastically from their originals. This is stunning photography.

These large, instantly compelling works have popped up at a brand new gallery called Black Square, across the street from Snitzer’s gallery. Taking the name from a piece of the great Russian avant-garde artist Kazimir Malevich, Black Square’s Ukrainian directors aim to bring art from Eastern Europe and Russia to our shores year round.

Back to the inaugural show. Now living in France, Solomoukha has said he wants his photography to resonate like a ballet or an opera, and he succeeds. The precise composition of these vivid works, the luscious hues, the theatrical poses all contribute to this effect.

But they are also whack. Some of the works have a little copy of the painting that they are based on in the background — the Rape of the Sabine Women, the death of St. Sebastian — but in the foreground a surreal story all its own is unfolding. Sebastian is shot with arrows, but is wearing a Native American headdress; an alligator has made an entrance in one corner, while something horribly debauched has just happened on the floor.

In one group in the second gallery, the background is actually a decrepit building in Chernobyl — the naked models have been superimposed on an unlivable space. There is so much going on here (some characters are based on French celebrities, Lenin makes an appearance) but all are simply beautiful. Solomoukha is “looking for new meaning and symbols” in these interpretations of well-known masterpieces.

Director Anna Milashevych points out that the classical training of the photographer back in Soviet days makes these works stand out in a technical sense as well — similar to works from Cuban-educated artists in this hemisphere. Whatever combination makes these photographs rise above, it works. And bringing art from a part of the world that has been sorely underrepresented in our budding art hub is a great addition, if it continues with such strong stuff as this.

That prospect looks promising. The next exhibit: installation, video, and painting from Victor Sydorenko, first presented at the 50th Venice Biennale, opening Nov. 4.

“Little Red Riding Hood Visits the Grand Louvre,” photography of Anton Solomoukha, through Oct. 30 at Black Square Gallery, 2248 N.W. 1st Pl., Miami (open Tue. through Sat. 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.); 305-424-5002; www.blacksquaregallery.com.