To produce the images that convey his fatalistic and ironic approach to life, tinged with hope, he needed the environment and knowledge of Mother Russia, oiled with a bit of bribery to certain circus trainers. Enter the Great Russian Bear, the personification of Russia for the last several centuries, onto center stage and into his studio. The bear is recognized as both brutish and cute – Misha was the mascot for the 1980 Olympic Games – and has remained a symbol of Russia since Tsarist times. In 2009 it is the symbol of the United Russia Party.

This artwork created using the end of a drill is the work of Swiss photographer Fabian Oefner who captures the flight of paint in just one 40,000th of a second. His latest Black Hole series celebrates the physics of centripetal force and the effects it has on simple paint and a an ordinary drill with a metal rod connected on the end. The incredible result of Fabians work comes out looking like a picture taken on the Hubble Telescope of some cosmic event. (Photo by Fabian Oefner/Caters News)

“Residents in a small town littered with giant potholes may be ready to “crack” the art world – after turning their massively damaged roads into hilarious masterpieces. Fun-natured drivers from Scranton, Pennsylvania have been challenged by an arts group to turn the ugly craters in their neighborhood into pothole art”. – Caters News. Photo: Cereal bowl pothole. (Photo by Caters News)

Three members of English pop group The Tremeloes; Chip Hawkes, Alan Blakley and Dave Munden, kissing their brides; Carol Dilworth, Lyn Stevens and Andree Wittenberg, in Trafalgar Square, London. (Photo by Wesley/Getty Images). 1967

The delegates arrive at the Great Hall of the People before a plenary session of the National People's Congress on March 11, 2011 in Beijing, China. The NPC will take place until March 14. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images)

A cat yawns at Nekorobi cat cafe on January 20, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan. Cat cafes, where people can spend time with their favorite cat for about 10 US dollars an hour, are now getting more popular with people living in urban areas. The regular customers are mainly in their 20's to 30's and seaking healing by cats, or people who cannot afford to have pets full time. Some visiters come to the cat cafe three times a week. (Photo by Junko Kimura/Getty Images)

Glamour model and actress Sabrina seated on the knee of Arthur Askey. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images). 1955