“If a man insisted always on being serious, and never allowed himself a bit of fun and relaxation, he would go mad or become unstable without knowing it”. – Herodotus. “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation”. – Plato. Photo: Mandalay, Burma. (Photo by Steve McCurry)

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.

A group of young women have 'a bit of a do' for Oxfam at St Pancras International and enjoy a screening of the nation's favourite chick-flick Dirty Dancing on February 28, 2011 in London, England. Oxfam is calling on women across the UK to get together with their female friends in March to celebrate women's achievements for the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day (March 8, 2011) and raise money to support their work with women living in poverty. www.oxfam.org.uk/do (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images for Oxfam). LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 28

American rapper Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, known professionally as Doja Cat, says “alright” before declaring she's quitting music in the last decade of March 2022. (Photo by dojacat/Instagram)

American rapper Megan Jovon Ruth Pete, known professionally as Megan Thee Stallion performs on the Other stage at Worthy Farm in Somerset during the Glastonbury Festival in Britain on June 25, 2022. (Photo by Dylan Martinez/Reuters)

American rapper Megan Jovon Ruth Pete, known professionally as Megan Thee Stallion says “pressure” is “good for the image” in the second decade of July 2022. (Photo by theestallion/Instagram)

A professional bull rider participates in a bull riding exhibition at the premiere of “The Longest Ride” at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Monday, April 6, 2015, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Photo)

French engineer and professional violinist Laurent Bernadac poses with the “3Dvarius”, a 3D printed violin made of transparent resin, during an interview with Reuters in Paris, France, September 11, 2015. (Photo by Christian Hartmann/Reuters)