ABSTRACT Complimentary to the common perception of rock art, i.e., painted or engraved images on rock surfaces, as an archaeological source informing about the past, this article argues that what equally and additionally makes rock art heritage is the role the ancient images play in the present, influencing and shaping contemporary cultural processes. Developing this idea, the article discusses the use of rock art motifs in contemporary art, focusing on the example of the art of Arzhan Yuteev, a native Altaian painter from Gorno-Altaisk in southern Siberia. Although rock art has attracted the attention of many Siberian artists in recent decades, Yuteev’s art is unique in this regard, as his drawing upon prehistoric art is not only aesthetically inspired but is also significantly embodied in an identity narrative. This narrative was particularly noticeable in the exhibition Heritage, held in the artist’s hometown in 2019, where Yuteev’s works were displayed. The three works presented in this exhibition are analyzed in detail in the paper, providing the key data to answer the questions: how are the prehistoric art motifs incorporated into this narrative, how do they contribute to the idea of reclaiming the heritage and what is the social efficaciousness of Yuteev’s art.