Zakhar Akulov

Born in Leningrad in 1979. From an early age, he felt a strong pull toward art, which led him to attend art school, where he developed a deep love for painting. He also tried learning the violin, but quickly realized it wasn’t the right fit for him. His struggles with the instrument eventually brought his musical ambitions to an end—but at the same time, they opened the door to a future in visual art. The underground art scene of Leningrad had a strong influence on him as a young artist. While he continued to explore classical techniques, he also became drawn to more unconventional, “nonconformist” styles. What matters most to him is emotional expression—the ability to capture a fleeting state or feeling in the moment, to “freeze a frame,” as he likes to put it.