How I Almost Got Expelled from the Academy of Arts but Ended Up at the Venice Biennale Instead

For as long as I can remember, I have been passionate about both drawing and geometry. This love naturally led me to pursue a career in architecture. At the age of 15, I enrolled in the art school affiliated with the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg to prepare for admission to the Academy’s Faculty of Architecture. With a rich history dating back to the 18th century, this prestigious institution has produced many distinguished graduates.

In the first year, aspiring architects are immersed in classical architectural drawing techniques, with a particular emphasis on the ink wash technique. I can't say I mastered it immediately, but I was deeply fascinated by it and determined to reach the level of the Old Masters. My dedication paid off: at the end of the first year, I was awarded a special prize and sent on a study trip to Italy. Seeing in person the very buildings and structures we had studied and drawn was a truly transformative experience. During that trip, I got to know the rector of the Academy, Semyon Mikhailovsky, who would later play a pivotal role in my development.

As my studies progressed, I became captivated by the visionary work of 18th-century French architects Ledoux, Boullée, and Lequeu. Lequeu’s drawings, in particular, left a lasting impression on me. However, over time, I began to clash with the Academy’s approach. What started as "creative disagreements" with my professors gradually intensified. While I welcomed the challenge of defending my artistic vision, it was not always easy. During one short assignment, known as a "clause," I created a drawing that was deemed offensive and unacceptable by the Academy, resulting in an official order for my expulsion.

Fortunately, the rector did not sign it. Instead, he granted me a sabbatical and offered me a workshop to prepare for the next Venice Biennale. Over the course of that year, I produced 15 large-scale ink wash works dedicated to VDNKh. This period marked a turning point for me. I realized I wanted to be an artist rather than an architect—where the only boundary was the edge of the sheet. In fact, I came to see the flatness of the sheet not as a limitation, but as a source of inspiration.

Exhibiting at the Russian Pavilion of the Venice Biennale was a defining moment. It gave me the confidence to fully embrace my artistic path. A particularly memorable experience was receiving a letter from renowned architect Rem Koolhaas, who visited the pavilion and expressed his admiration for my work. During the Biennale, I also met Alfredo Brillembourg, founder of the Urban-Think Tank architecture firm. This encounter led to our collaboration on the "Laugier" series—an interpretation of Marc-Antoine Laugier’s ideas about the primitive hut—and a visionary project for a future city titled Parangolé: A New City Built on Top of the Old.

After two years of sabbatical, I returned to complete my studies and graduated from the Academy in 2018. Since 2015, I have participated in various exhibitions, and in late 2021, I launched a website as a virtual exhibition space showcasing my work—an attempt to create the ideal setting for my art.

In 2022, I was honored to be invited by renowned French architect Maxime d’Angeac to create a drawing commemorating the relaunch of the iconic Orient Express train. In 2025, our collaboration continued at Art Paris at the Grand Palais, where he presented a furniture collection for the Orient Express, adorned with my drawings.