1. Which qualities of personality help an artist to make art and which hinder?

As far as I'm concerned, it's purely individual for each artist. What will be a hindrance for one will be a plus for another. I guess you just have to love what you do. I danced ballet for 14 years (it just so happened), it instilled a love of labor and responsibility. Sometimes, whether you want to or not, you have to get up and do it. It helps. In my opinion, what can hinder us in our business is excessive insecurity in what you are doing. And laziness, of course.


2. What is your favorite pastime besides art?

I don't have any particular other hobby. I devote almost all my time to creative work. I like to drink beer. After another 10 years, I started fingerboarding again.

3. Have you ever had a situation in your life that influenced your art positively/negatively? Or greatly changed your views on what you do?

I haven't had any serious situations like that. Maybe when I was invited to an art residency in Belgium in 2018 (this year I was also invited, but didn't get a visa). Overall, everything in my life is progressing in its own way. Also, probably when in art school at about 15 years old I found a big book about Salvador Dali. It had a big impact on me back then. The origins of my art are in graffiti, and then somehow everything turned upside down. And it just kind of took off.


4. Who would you like to talk to of any person who have ever lived or are living now? Why this person in particular?

I had an old comrade, a musician from my hometown, now gone, unfortunately. I'd like to meet him. We never saw each other once during the whole time in St. Petersburg. He was a cool guy.

5. How does your art change the world, the culture, yourself?

My art certainly doesn't change the world. I'm not sure that art is capable of changing the world at all. Maybe, at most, some number of individuals. I would say that it can describe it, reflect it. Actually, that's what has always happened. I am pleased to get a response from the viewer. It is nice when collectors and not only collectors are interested and have a desire to acquire works. In these difficult times, I try to focus more on the beauty in my work.


6. What do you think about the future of contemporary art?

This is a very generalized question. And again, in what time and geographical frameworks should we think?  It is a «big organism» that can be influenced by various factors. Economics, technological progress, trends, wars, after all. I think art will fit in, describe and reflect everything that will happen, to a greater or lesser extent. One thing I will say for sure for myself is that analog will definitely have value for a long time to come.

7. What do you think about the ups and downs of NFT? Do you have any NFT projects?

I haven't thought much about it, and I'm not good at the subject. I've had offers, but I'm not interested. I know there was a boom, many «took off», made money, etc. I believe that NFT will also be embedded (already embedded, more likely) in the general system and will be such an offshoot in art, creativity.


8. What is the most valuable thing for you (in the world, in life, in creativity)?

In the world, as notorious as it sounds, is peace. Peace in the family, peace with the neighbors in the stairwell, peace between people in general. No matter what happens, it is important to keep yourself human in the best sense of the word.

Creativity is probably the most important thing in creativity. It is important to find yourself in it. For example, it's hard for me not to work for a long time. Yes, sometimes there are breaks when you are not in the studio for a week. But after that it becomes hard, as if even physically. For me it's also like a kind of therapy.