Buildings are seen near the ocean as reports indicate that Miami-Dade County in the future could be one of the most susceptible places when it comes to rising water levels due to global warming on March 14, 2012 in North Miami, Florida. Some cities in the South Florida area are starting to plan for what may be a catastrophic event for the people living within the flooding area. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

A dancer from the Trisha Brown Dance Company performs during “Roof Piece” above the High Line park June 9, 2011 in New York City. Roof Piece (1971) consists of nine dancers performing improvised movement signals to each other in a chain on various rooftops overlooking the city. This presentation marked the first full performance of the piece since 1973. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Sofi Tukker x Amadou & Mariam – Mon Cheri (Official Music Video). “Mon Cheri” continues Red Hot's 30-year mission of fighting HIV/AIDS and supporting humanitarian charities through music, pop culture and global anthems.

A sculptural artwork depicting former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet and headless presidents shot by a hooded high school student (not pictured) is seen at the Contemporary Art Museum in Santiago, December 2, 2014. The artwork, part of the “El ladrillo angular” (The angular brick) exhibition, portrays a student fighting against the ongoing continuity of dictatorship because of a political and economic system which has been impossible to destroy, according to “Papas Fritas” the artwork's creator. (Photo by Ivan Alvarado/Reuters)

A visitor passes behind the sculpture “Puma-Dentist” made with plastic, wax and original heads of a puma and a hind by Austrian artist Deborah Sengl during an exhibition at the art gallery Deschler in Berlin April 15, 2008. (Photo by Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters)

A general view of atmosphere during the NYC “Soul Train” Line Flash Mob: Hippest Trip in America in honor of Don Cornelius in Times Square on February 4, 2012 in New York City. Cornelius, the creator of “Soul Train”, died on February 1, 2012 at the age of 75. (Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images)

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.