Alexey Adonin

BIOGRAPHY

~Extended Version~

“Childhood”

Born and raised in Slutsk, Belarus, Alexey Adonin is the only child in a family. His father, Alexander Adonin, is an art teacher, painter, and musician, while his mother, Svetlana, is a building engineer. Alexey’s artistic journey began quite early, as he attended the Children’s Art School at nine under his father’s tutelage, who had the first and most significant influence on the style of the future artist.

Alexey had unique hobbies throughout his early years that shaped his forthcoming artistic approach. His earliest obsession was science fiction literature, and he drew inspiration from works by great writers such as the Strugatsky brothers, Alexander Belyaev, Stanisław Lem, Jules Verne, Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, H. G. Wells, Arthur C. Clarke, and more.

Alexey was also into history, biology, paleontology, geography, and astronomy. From popular Soviet scientific magazines such as “Technology for the Youth” and “Science and Life,” he drew ideas that complemented the overall picture of his interests. Alexey loved to imagine and tried to capture by sketching what a future or other worlds far in space might look like. He frequently escaped to another universe in his mind, as he was unsettled by how things in the modern world worked, especially how people treated nature.

As a romantic and subtle personality, Alexey struggled to understand how people could be so reckless to pollute nature. However, he soon realized that the human world was corrupted on many levels and not just in terms of environmental concerns. Despite this realization, Alexey concentrated his efforts on positive things. He and his father traveled outside town almost every weekend for fishing, where Alexey could dialogue with nature, getting, as he called it, “mysterious feedback.” Nature became a treasure trove behind his creative ideas.

“Glebovka”

Alexey was always a dreamer. As a child, he would spend hours lost in his imagination, sketching and painting the worlds he created in his mind. His parents encouraged his creativity but never expected him to pursue art as a career.

But as Alexey grew up, his passion for art only grew stronger. He knew he wanted to take the next step in his artistic career, which meant further education. At 15, he passed the entrance exams for Glebov Art College in Minsk. It was a big move for him, leaving his hometown of Slutsk and moving to the bustling capital of Belarus.

But Minsk did not disappoint. Alexey was immediately immersed in an atmosphere of young, talented, and rebellious artists. They spoke the same language as he did - the language of art. He felt a spark of curiosity and hope in his eyes as he looked at life in a new way.

The time at Glebovka was creative for Alexey, and he blossomed as an artist. He experimented with different styles and techniques, and his work began to reflect his unique vision. At the same time, the collapse of the Soviet Union was happening, and a new wave of creativity and ideas was sweeping through the country. Alexey was part of this movement, which further fueled his passion.

But as exciting as this time was, it was also a period of great uncertainty and change. The economy was in disarray, and buying essential goods like food wasn’t easy. Banditry became a real problem, and going out on the streets wasn’t safe. Alexey and his family began to feel that it was time to leave.

In the early 90s, they decided to move to Israel. It was a difficult choice, but they felt it was best for their future. Alexey continued to pursue his art, and his experiences in Belarus continued to influence his work. But he also began exploring new ideas and themes, and his art evolved excitingly.

Looking back on his time in Glebovka and in Minsk, Alexey felt grateful for the opportunities he had been given. It was a time of significant change for him personally and the country. But through it all, he had discovered who he was as an artist and what he wanted to say to the world.

To be continued...