The 6th Siberian Tattoo Festival at Podzemka Loft Park in Novosibirsk, Russia on August 20, 2017. Tattoo lovers have been showing off their impressive inkings at annual conventions in LA and Russia this weekend. This year marks the sixth Siberian Tattoo Festival in Novosibirsk, Russia, while stateside tattoo fanatics have been celebrating all things body-art at the LA Tattoo Convention in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Kirill Kukhmar/TASS)

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.

Russian Police academy female cadets march during a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade at Dvortsovaya (Palace) Square in St Petersburg, Russia, Wednesday, May 7, 2014. Victory Day, marking the defeat of Nazi Germany, is Russia's most important secular holiday celebrated on May 9. (Photo by Dmitry Lovetsky/AP Photo)

A woman aims a World War II machine gun at a military show during celebration of the Defenders of the Fatherland Day in St.Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, February 23, 2016. The day, celebrated in Russia on February 23, honors the nation's military and is a nationwide holiday. (Photo by Dmitri Lovetsky/AP Photo)

Actor Jackie Chan poses with student performers after participating in a leg of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Torch Relay at the Badaling Great Wall on February 3, 2022 outside Beijing, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

One happy reveller smiled and gave a thumbs up to the camera in Newcastle, United Kingdom after receiving their A Level results on Tuesday, August 10, 2021. Students hit the town across the country, downing cocktails and letting their hair down after two years of studying during the pandemic. (Photo by Newcastle New Projects)

A student gets off a police vehicle which carried her to a high school to arrive in time for a college entrance exam in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, November 18, 2021. About 510,000 high school seniors and graduates across the country are expected to take the College Scholastic Ability Test. (Photo by Ahn Young-joon/AP Photo)

In this photo taken on Friday, July 14, 2017, a student at a paramilitary camp for children calls the rank to attention outside Kiev, Ukraine. As the deadly conflict in eastern Ukraine entered its third year, some parents in Ukraine are anxious to make sure their children are ready to fight it, instead of swimming and playing volleyball. (Photo by Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo)