Participants in traditional dress ride on horseback as they enjoy the atmosphere at the Feria de Abril (April's Fair) on April 12, 2016 in Seville, Spain. The Feria de Abril has a history that dates back to 1857 and takes place a fortnight after Easter each year. The origin of the fair was a cattle market but the event quickly turned its goal from commerce to having fun. More than 1 million local and international participants are expected to attend the Feria de Abril. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Frenchman Georges Speicher drinks as he starts riding down the Col de l'Aubisque during the 18th stage of the Tour de France between Tarbes and Pau. on July 17, 1933. Speicher finished second beaten by Spanish winner Learco Guerra to retain his overall leader's yellox jersey on his way to winning the Tour de France. (Photo by France Presse Voir/AFP Photo)

Recording artist Lady Gaga performs during a stop of The Monster Ball Tour at the MGM Grand Garden Arena March 25, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

"La Montagna di Sale (The Salt Mountain)" by Mimmo Paladino is displayed in Piazza Duomo on April 5, 2011 in Milan, Italy.

Photographer and artist Jill Greenberg poses at her home to promote her Exhibit “Glass Ceiling: American Girl Doll” And Billboard For LA on September 29, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/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.

“Douglas Fisher has worked in the photographic industry for more than 25 years, starting out at 19 as an assistant before establishing his own studio, just two years later. Here, Douglas would go on to be among the first to champion the emerging worlds of digital photography and CGI, identifying early the transformative impact they would bring to advertising and high end photography”. – Tim Mitchell

Photo: «Carlsberg Launch». (Photo by Douglas Fisher)