Portraits and Beyond  

Foreword

Webster´s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary defines art as “the conscious use of skills and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects.” One can say that illustration, although one of many forms of art, is the use of these skills and creativity to produce the artist´s impression of the reality that he observes.
Sir Thomas Browne, a 17th century physician, once said, “nature is the art of God.” An art student learns about an artist in order to understand and appreciate his art, realizing that the artist´s work is a reflection of the individual. Nature´s art, therefore, also reflects the personality of nature´s originator, Almighty God. His artwork is not purposeless or accidental.
Artists, and illustrators, also have a purpose or a definite message to convey. Through Alexei´s illustrations, some of which are contained in this book, we recognize not only the personality of the subjects depicted, but also that of the artist himself and of his opinions on these subjects. As he himself says, these are meant to be enjoyed and to reflect on the dual nature of his culture. In this short foreword, I would also like to remind the viewer to stop and consider the message behind such endeavors, namely that for our Grand Creator, there are no borders between Russia and Canada or any other nation or culture or race.
Truly in this day and age, this is definitely cause for reflection.

One World

During life’s journey, I find that people’s spiritual paths are constantly intertwining with my own. At all levels of human existence, I find that people’s similarities and differences blend with my personal needs and perceptions to form a unique relationship whose duration and cohesion is ultimately determined by our ability to recognized these shared needs and willingness to examine and possibly change our perceptions.
As two newly landed immigrants in Quebec, Alexei and I met while attending the same French language class in January 1999. I was the only person from the United States in a classroom of people who were predominantly from Eastern Europe and Middle East. As an American, I immediately became aware of the internalized attitudes that set the foundation for the ignorance that now fueled my apprehension and anxiety.
Throughout the introductions, the initial focus was on the reasons as to why I would move to Canada. I sensed that to them I was stepping down from the enviable position of living in the United States. Though my reasons were spiritual and philosophical, the solidarity that we shared was that we were all willing to take a risk to try to improve the quality of our lives by leaving our family, our friends and the emotional safety of our culture. The emotional strength of our group came through the acceptance of our diversity.
When I first met Alexei, my perceptions at the time were truly the American stereotype of a Russian man. He was quiet, intellectual and intense. I also sensed an intangible bond that went beyond our shared difficulty in the oral comprehension of French. When he brought samples of his work to class, I was impressed by how he demonstrated his questioning viewpoint through a surreal depiction of life’s issues. I was correct about Alexei’s intellectual intensity!
When the idea of creating an entertaining publication about historical Russian figures utilizing Alexei’s original illustrations and personal insights, I became energized with the thought about being involved in such a undertaking. Though I felt I was more informed than the average American, my knowledge of famous Russians was limited. I knew of three historical figures, Peter the Great, Ivan the Terrible and Rasputin. I knew of chess masters, defectors, dissidents and people who were able to quiet Western ego, such Gagarin and Tretyak. As a child, the constant threat that nuclear war at the hands of the ruling Communist Party compelled us to learn about Stalin, Lenin, and Khrushchev. Yet, I was aware that my comprehension was shallow.
I felt our friendship and collaboration in this project dealt a setback to “cold war” prejudices and ignorance that can ambush and sabotage human relationships. I believe this book provides amusing and informative inroads towards the understanding of Russian culture and history. The esoteric connection between East and West becomes apparent. We are truly one world.

-Michael D. Fuller, Boston USA-Montreal Canada

WORDS OF WISDOM, 1989-

MAN:
- Man is what he thinks of himself.
- A man is only then a man when someone needs him.
- An impasse is not the absence of a solution; it is the inability to be a man.
- The unhappiness of man rests in his ability to understand that the future is always better than the present.
- Look to the eyes – there is the man.
- Man is so vulnerable, he can be killed by a single word.
- If primitive man had been created with a wheel instead of feet, once he acquired feet he would quickly have understood the superiority of feet over the wheel.
- Having freedom does not necessarily cure your loneliness.

LIFE:
- Always remember that the joy you feel at your presence in this world is the result of circumstances beyond your control.
- Life is too short to seem to come by chance. It is by chance that it seems short.
- Love life and it will give you love in return.
- In life, only love, hunger and fear cannot be extinguished.
- When we cross the intersection on the red light, we are not at that time, thinking about the location of the Earth within the Solar system and yet we are by such action, placing ourselves closer to Heaven.
- Who built the bridge connecting the shore of physical sound with the shore of the beauty of musical sound?
- Do not be afraid of your feelings – let them be afraid of you.
- Leave your feelings of malice to the 32nd day of the month.
- The transition from black to white is not always grey. Sometimes it turns out multi colored.
- The denial of realism is worse than the denial of materialism and idealism together.
- We have named the stars but in the universe, we still remain unnamed.
- The brightness of a star is dependent on the darkness of the night.
- Admire the beauty of the huge universe but do not hit your forehead on the sun.
- Do not fear to take a risk but think about the risk you are taking.
- To be understood is more important than to understand.
- A fool makes one mistake in life by being born but an intelligent man makes mistakes all his life.
- Find the channel for your talents where the flow is the fastest.
- If you will not see Good, you will never see Evil.
- People have different tastes but they are good and bad.
- Everything is relative, except our understanding of it.
- Understand the situation but be yourself.
- Experience hunger and you will realize your vulnerability.
- Before you can take off your sock you must first remove your shoe.
- For each bolt there is always its own nut.
- The best remedy for failure with one woman is to seek another woman.
- If the knife will not cut, try the other side of the blade.
- Intuition is the combination of the subconscious and consciousness.
- The thought is the beginning of the action.
- Practice your own philosophy by thought rather than talk.
- Indigence teaches economy but wealth teaches thought.
- Everything in the material world costs money but not everything is measured by money.
- Good and evil are the two masks in the theater of human weakness.
- Your upbringing is not limited to your childhood but continues as long as your parents are alive.
- Some people are like the planets which use alien light to appear alive. Others are like distant stars shining the eternal light in the darkness of time.

DEATH:
- If we live to die, for what do we die?
- The feeling of death to come is better than the death of feelings.
- In choosing your own cross be careful of its weight in order that you will not be taxed on your way to Golgotha.
- The beauty of one single birth can never justify the world’s attitude to violence and death.

THE HOMELAND:
- A patriot remembers more about the defeats of the Homeland than about its victories.
- The Russian sense of guilt is even greater than the expanse of its whole territory.
- The Russian people are more worthy of the love and compassion of strangers than their misunderstanding and disbelief.