at 84, he denounces the conflict in painting

He loves blank walls and hasn’t lacked inspiration since the start of the war in Ukraine. Vladimir, 84, is a Russian painter. Today his field of expression is the street. He is proud to present his latest work: “These two girls, in the colors of the flags of Ukraine and Russia, represent friendship. What do we have now? This brotherhood no longer exists, everything has collapsed. We only have the nostalgia for the past. A painting that could already have been erased by the authorities because it was deemed illegal. In his hometown, Vladimir is known to everyone. His paintings hostile to the regime denounce the war in Ukraine and the numerous civilian victims.

An artistic freedom that he totally claims. “I draw to express myself. It reflects my understanding of current events. I want to convey to people and maybe influence them in one way or another”, he explains. And no matter the risks involved and the denunciation that has become common in Vladimir Putin’s Russia. “At my age I am no longer afraid of anything. If there are complaints against me, no one will suffer”, believes Vladimir. Because he criticizes the authorities and the war in Ukraine, he risks fifteen years in prison. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, hundreds of opponents have been arrested. As for the independent media, they have all been silenced.