MANIFESTO
The Philosophy of
My Art
I was born and raised in Russia. Over ten years ago – long before sanctions and war – my family and I moved to Europe. I am a private investor and an inveterate traveller.
My journeys across the globe fuel my art, providing the vivid impressions and raw emotions that erupt onto my canvases. This deep connection to travel is the very essence captured by my pseudonym, ‘TuRist’. I hold the unshakeable belief that only an artist’s sincere feelings and innermost experiences can truly touch the hearts and minds of viewers. Though not classically trained, my art is fiercely authentic, deeply heartfelt, and inextricably woven from the fabric of my lived experience.
While I occasionally dabble in other styles, my primary focus remains on the stark tradition of the Russian avant-garde poster. More recently, I have been exploring conceptual art; I aim to approach it with both stylistic rigour and genuine emotion, supported by a solid theoretical foundation.
I believe we live in an age of profound and terrifying transformation. Below, I declare the critical convulsions that ignite my work as an artist of this moment:
1. The Technological Revolution: We are engulfed by an incredible transformation propelled by artificial intelligence, robotics, and our metamorphosing relationship with the digital realm. This is reshaping our economy, eroding daily life, and tearing at society's fabric. Humanity itself must be urgently redefined within this emerging civilisation.
2. The Collapse of Governance: The accelerating lumpenisation of the electorate and the shocking degradation of political elites herald profound economic and social ruin. Blinded politicians make catastrophic, irreversible errors, plunging multitudes into impoverishment. Left unchecked, this trajectory will dismantle democracy utterly. We demand a radical reimagining of governance – now.
3. The Moral Abyss: We wallow in a deep ethical crisis. Faith in God, moral anchors, and traditions has crumbled. Instead, the idolatry of the Golden Calf proliferates, rendering individuals increasingly isolated and defenceless against looming catastrophes. We must resurrect faith and morality through a return to robust traditions and enduring values.
4. World War Unfolding: We are in the grip of World War Three. The conflict between the geopolitical ‘Northwest’ and ‘Southeast’ escalates relentlessly. History teaches that empires rarely vanish without cataclysmic war. Currently fought through economic sanctions, covert regime change, and tech wars, the ‘hot’ fronts – Ukraine, Palestine, Sudan – spread like wildfire, threatening immediate societal collapse. We must act to avert humanity’s self-destruction and forge a new global order. Each bears the responsibility to balance homeland survival with planetary survival.
5. The Demographic Death Spiral: We face a profound demographic and migration crisis. Driven by pernicious forces that have corrupted common values, distorted life goals, and warped role models, traditional family structures are abandoned, causing birth rates to plummet. In developed nations, couples increasingly forgo children, enacting a grim ‘Replacement Theory’: indigenous populations face extinction, steadily supplanted by vital populations from less developed nations. Witnessing the unfolding collapse of European civilisation agonises me; the lack of serious resistance deepens the wound. Yet I cling to the hope that Russia and America might yet preserve our shared cultural heritage beyond its original cradle.
These seismic convulsions form the core of my artistic mission. I strive to capture these collisions: where technology meets religion, moral decay fuels migration, and global war intersects with virulent Russophobia. This exploration unfolds against the backdrop of my own economic anxieties and investments. My love for Russia endures, as does my love for the Europe I first encountered – though that Europe is now lost. It shatters my heart to see them locked in a self-immolating war yielding only death. Inner peace remains elusive.
Through the eyes of an ordinary man, these tumultuous times breed fear and disorientation. Yet I persist: raising my children, safeguarding my savings, navigating personal and familial wounds, and paying the bills. I pray we emerge from this chaos, channeling this maelstrom onto my canvas. This is my testament, my cry, my art for our fractured age.