Christ in Glory (detail)
Raphael
The radiant figure of the risen Christ (1508–10) crowns the celestial register of The Disputation of the Sacrament. His raised hand and visible wounds recall both his Passion and his role as judge at the end of time. Encircled by golden rays, he visually affirms the doctrine of the Eucharist as the enduring, real presence of Christ.
Geological Echo. La Pietà
Salvador Dalí
Dalí reinterprets Michelangelo’s La Pietà, merging sacred imagery with surreal geological forms (1982). The figures’ bodies become fragmented landscapes, symbolizing the erosion of memory and time. Created during Gala’s final years, the work reflects personal grief, exploring themes of love, loss, and the unconscious through voids that resonate with emotional depth and introspection.
Lenin
Diego Rivera
This mural fragment (1934) shows Vladimir Lenin at the center, joining the hands of workers of different races in a dense crowd. The scene comes from Rivera’s Man at the Crossroads mural destroyed at Rockefeller Center, whose inclusion of Lenin provoked its removal. By recreating the composition at the Palacio de Bellas Artes, Rivera reaffirmed his Marxist political stance.
Machine for Polishing Mirrors
Leonardo da Vinci
This technical drawing (c. 1490) shows Leonardo’s device for polishing concave mirrors, likely used in optical or experimental studies. Its mechanism demonstrates advanced knowledge of geometry, motion, and material tension. The design reflects his pursuit of instruments that could extend human perception through mechanical precision.
The Cathedral
Auguste Rodin
This 1908 sculpture features two right hands reaching towards each other, symbolizing connection and unity. Initially named The Arch of Alliance, it was inspired by Gothic cathedral rib vaults and renamed in 1914. The texture and interplay of light and shadow evoke prayer and contemplation. This work marks Rodin’s shift from realism to modernism, emphasizing emotional depth over physical form.
Sudden Awakening
Zhang Huan
This large Buddha head sculpture (2006) lies fragmented on the ground, its heavy upper section slightly shifted above closed eyes and rough, ash-coated features. Formed from ash and steel, it draws on materials linked to ritual burning and industrial residue. The broken, weighty face reveals how contemporary Buddhist art confronts impermanence and the tension between spiritual ideals and material collapse.
The Wedding Banquet of Cupid and Psyche
Raphael
In this fresco (1518–19), Raphael presents the divine banquet:on the left are Neptune, Persephone, Pluto, Juno, and Jupiter receiving a drink from Ganymede. On the right sit Psyche and Cupid, gazing at each other. In the foreground, Bacchus and a young satyr pour wine, highlighting the festive nature of Cupid’s immortal union with Psyche.
Saint Anthony the Hermit
Jan Brueghel
This tranquil painting (early 17th c.) shows Saint Anthony seated at the mouth of a cave, gazing contemplatively toward the city and sea. The vivid flora and distant harbor contrast with his solitude, symbolizing the tension between worldly life and spiritual retreat. A vision of a sacred altar within the cave suggests divine presence in the midst of earthly temptation.
Christ the Judge
Rogier van der Weyden
At the summit of the Last Judgment Altarpiece (1445–50), Christ sits enthroned on a rainbow, resting his feet on a golden globe that symbolizes dominion over the world. He raises his right hand in blessing, while his left gestures toward judgment. The sword and lily flanking him signify justice and mercy, balancing wrath with compassion. Draped in vivid red, Christ embodies divine authority, anchoring the entire altarpiece in the promise of eternal judgment and salvation.
Tapestry of Fantastical Beasts in a River
Michael Coxcie
Woven in Brussels (c.1565) in a Flemish workshop according to Coxcie's design, this tapestry depicts hybrid beasts and serpents in a dense river landscape reflecting Renaissance fascination with nature’s wildness and moral allegory, symbolizing sin and chaos before divine order.
Aeneas, Anchises, and Ascanius
Bernini
This early masterpiece (1618–19) shows Aeneas carrying his father Anchises and leading his son Ascanius as they flee Troy. Anchises holds the Penates (household gods safeguarding family and hearth), while Ascanius carries a flame, symbol of Rome’s divine lineage. Bernini unites filial duty, piety, and sacrifice with striking youthful vigor.
Indo-American Scene
Luis Alberto Acuña
A lone, naked rider on horseback drinks from a forest stream, immersed in a lush tropical setting. Acuña's painting (1950-60s) evokes a primordial connection between Indigenous people and the natural world, blending mythic and symbolic elements into a vision of harmony, solitude, and ancestral presence.
The Comedy, Parody, and Tragedy
Rodel Tapaya
This 2018 painting layers crowded shanties, billboards, and tangled walkways with mythic creatures from Philippine folklore. Human figures mingle with spirits and masked characters, blurring everyday life with the supernatural. Bright colors and abrupt shifts in scale evoke noise, congestion, and spectacle. Tapaya unfolds contemporary urban experience as a chaotic folk tale, where comedy, parody, and tragedy coexist in a single scene.
Lenin and the Workers (detail)
Diego Rivera
In this vivid section of Man, Controller of the Universe (1934), Lenin extends his hand to unite workers of different races and backgrounds. His central placement amid galaxies and scientific motifs reflects Rivera’s belief in a revolutionary, rational future led by socialist ideals and global class solidarity.
Chiminigagua Releases Light
Luis Alberto Acuña
Detail from a mural (1960–70s) reimagining the Chibcha creation myth. The supreme god Chiminigagua raises his arms as radiant birds burst forth, bringing light to the cosmos. A glowing sun and celestial rainbow crown the scene, marking the divine act that initiated life and order in the Muisca universe.
“When the path is beautiful, do not ask where it leads.” — Zen proverb
Welcome to my travel photography!
“When the path is beautiful, do not ask where it leads.” — Zen proverb
Welcome to my travel photography!
For as long as I can remember, my path has been one of discovery—seeking beauty, timelessness, and connection in every corner of the world. It has also been a journey of deep learning and understanding. I’ve been an avid traveler (or perhaps a travel addict?) for most of my life. My love for travel began long before I ever left home: as a child, I drew a fantasy map of my grandparents’ apartment and “traveled” through it with my cousin Sonya, imagining adventures in every corner. Nearly 90 countries and countless moments of awe later, I’m excited to share this journey with you.
Thanks to the tireless and ingenious programming of Diagilev, we’re now able to present about fifteen percent of the images I’ve accumulated over the years. More will be released in small batches depending on your interest. While the first release leans toward museum photography, later ones will include more nature, architecture, culture, and general travel experiences. If you’d like to receive email notifications about new releases, feel free to reach out—no commercial use, ever.
Throughout my travels, I’ve been drawn to two intertwined kinds of discovery. One is intellectual: learning why the world is the way it is. History became my guide, shaping my perspective and filling my camera roll with museums and old buildings. To me, history is not the past—it is the key to understanding the present and how the world became what it is. The other is emotional: seeking moments of elevation—spirituality, beauty, harmony—often found in nature, monasteries, and ancient sacred spaces. Together, these impulses shape my photography. It invites you to learn, admire, and soar—to rise above the mundane and see the world through a lens of curiosity and wonder.
Much of my later travel became possible thanks to my job with Delta Air Lines, but the wanderlust began years earlier. By the time I joined the industry, I had already visited over 35 countries and lived in several—largely thanks to a backpacking journey around the world with Luis León, whose face appears in many early photos. I grew up in Ufa in the USSR, and since leaving it I have lived, studied, and worked in Latvia, the United States, France, South Korea, Canada, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Japan, and Colombia.
A life of near-constant movement may seem a little crazy, but it has deepened my understanding of the world and produced the photography you are about to see. Over the years, my style has evolved—more intentional, more refined—yet its core remains the same: a search for understanding, timeless beauty, and a connection to those who walked this earth long before us.
I hope these photos stir something in your soul, just as they did in mine. I’d love to hear from you—whether reactions, suggestions, corrections, or a request to be added to the email list for new releases (no commercial use, I promise). You can learn more about my travels here, and my academic life here.
Enjoy our shared journey!