Last month, following the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin, renowned contemporary artist Nikas Safronov debuted in India with a solo show comprising over 100 artworks. his immense exhibition dream vision Gave a new look to the Lalit Kala Academy in Delhi. Think life-size sculptural elephants in red, blue, white and black; projection mapping; Painting powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI); And large artificial flowers that open and close, releasing a refreshing fragrance.
Artificial flowers in motion by Nikas Safronov.
It was an unusual scene for art exhibitions in India, with people waiting in long queues to get a glimpse of this unique erotic experience. According to media reports, the show attracted an estimated 560,000 visitors in a fortnight. Now, the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in Mumbai is getting the same treatment till January 15, Display of 45 paintings. See your artistic reflection in an AI-powered “neuro-mirror”, between Marilyn Monroe and Goddess Lakshmi surrounded by two elephants. Boat on the river Ganga with Lord Shiva or witness the beautiful union of Ganga in his matted hair as the paintings come alive on your phone after scanning the QR code.
Lord Shiva by Nikas Safronov.
Safronov’s paintings bring together Renaissance-style themes with modern flair, almost creating a time capsule with his art. While his buildings are stately and the tympanum (the empty surface above the door) high, typical of classical art, his figures are imbued with realism. The work reflects key stages of his career and traces the development of his dream-like artistic language. Convenient QR codes placed with images help transform them into multimedia experiences with spatial sound and light-touch AI elements.
The buildings of Nikas Safronov are stately and have high tympanums, rooted in classical art.
A divine story carved in stone (2015) by Nikas Safronov.
soft power of cultural diplomacy
At a time when Russia is still at war with Ukraine, Safronov’s debut in India is a symbol of cultural diplomacy. Widely regarded as Russia’s foremost modern artist, he grew up in the Soviet Union – surrounded by the state-sponsored propaganda art of Socialist Realism – but turned to creating his own unique artistic language. He combines classical painterly discipline with surrealist imagery, reminiscent of Russian Symbolism in pre-Soviet art. “Starting your career in the Soviet era meant learning to speak indirectly,” Safronov said in a recent interview with an Indian daily, “There were boundaries – sometimes rigid, sometimes barely visible – and within them an artist discovered his own language.” Metaphor and symbolism became the wind beneath his wings.
The visual grammar of Nikas Safronov’s works has a dream-like artistic language.
Animated sharks swimming around Nikas Safronov’s painting of Salvador Dali.
Safronov, 69, has built a career that spans decades and crosses continents. Known for his striking paintings, imaginative compositions, and distinctive surrealist-symbolist style, which he calls “dream vision”, he has held over 320 exhibitions around the world. His work has often engaged with international diplomacy, reflecting his belief that art can transcend political boundaries and promote understanding between nations. Awarded the title of ‘People’s Artist of Russia’, Safronov has painted over 50 heads of state and personalities in his career, including Donald Trump, Pope Francis, Elton John and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However she admitted that actress Sophia Loren was her favorite inspiration, and one can understand why from the beautiful portraits she created of her. Another experience is to watch animated sharks swim around a painting by Salvador Dali, as one sits on the famous lip-shaped sofa, which the artist created as a tribute to one of his favorite Surrealist painters.
An artwork based on surrealism and symbolism by Nikas Safronov.
history made of stone (2011) by Nikas Safronov.
An artwork by Nikas Safronov.
spring Love (2018) by Nikas Safronov.
Anti-anarchy in the history of space (2005) by Nikas Safronov.
Organized in collaboration with Russia’s oil major Rosneft, the two-city showdown is a cultural marker of the high-profile meeting between Modi and Putin and the renewal of longstanding diplomatic ties between India and Russia. Safronov said in his artist statement, “Visiting India is like stepping into a world where culture is alive in every street, every temple and every festival. I hope my work can serve as a bridge of understanding between our countries.”
symbols of india
Nikas Safronov is inspired by Hindu deities such as Lakshmi.
An artwork featuring Goddess Durga by Nikas Safronov.
An artwork by Nikas Safronov.
His works in India highlight the landscapes, historical sites and mythological subjects that have long inspired him. Paintings of the Taj Mahal, Varanasi and other iconic Indian sites feature prominently, along with interpretations of Hindu mythology and cultural motifs.
Safronov has stated in recent interviews that he is inspired by Hindu deities such as Lakshmi, Shiva and Brahma. And in contrast to the “strict division between the sacred and the human” in Western art and ethos, he found Indian deities to be imbued with “emotion, movement and nature”. Exactly for him, “dream vision It is not an escape from reality, but a way of living through it”.
dream vision Showing at NGMA, Fort, Mumbai till January 15.
The author is a Delhi-based independent art critic and curator.
published – January 09, 2026 01:40 PM IST