A MELBOURNE girl, 4, who was ''discovered'' by a Melbourne gallery at the age of two, opened her first solo art show in New York on Saturday night, with paintings priced up to $10,000.

Aelita Andre began painting at the age of 11 months, according to her parents Michael Andre and Nikka Kalashnikova, both artists. Two years ago they showed her work to Fitzroy commercial gallery owner Mark Jamieson, who agreed to exhibit her work before he was aware of her age.

''I was shocked and, to be honest, a little embarrassed,'' Mr Jamieson said at the time when he discovered her age. He thought hard about whether or not to proceed, and talked it over with his colleagues. ''And then I thought, 'Well, we'll give it a go.'''

Since then, Aelita has forged a career as an abstract expressionist, and has been compared to modern art greats such as Jackson Pollock. Her top-selling work, a picture of the Russian Mir space station, sold to a Hong Kong collector for $24,000.

At 4, Aelita Andre has an exhibition of her work in New York. Credit:Simon O'Dwyer

Her parents insist they are not forcing her to paint and that the work should be judged on its artistic merits and not her age and said they hope her success paves the way for other talented children. The prodigy of colour by Aelita Andre is showing at the Agora Gallery in New York until June 25.