Igor Kulikov is an unconventional artist who converges a multitude of stylistic lineages – including Latin American, Slavic folk and that of Oceania, especially Polynesian.
Igor’s artistic training began with studying monographs, Russian icons and ancient Slavic art pieces, which, during the Soviet regime, were hard to be granted access to. Igor’s initial oeuvre mirrored the oppression of the censorship and was configured to conform to the Socialist Realist doctrine that was flourishing at the time.
However, after the downfall of the USSR, liberated from the imposed restrictions and now free to travel and explore, Igor sought inspiration from a plethora of geographical locations such as Asia, the islands of the Pacific Ocean, Mexico, New Zealand, Africa and Easter Island.
Igor’s aesthetic attitude connects Western and Eastern traditions, alongside paying homage to Russian deep historical roots.