India to Be First: Nikas Safronov Launches Major World Tour in New Delhi and Mumbai with Support from Rosneft

This December, People’s Artist of the Russian Federation Nikas Safronov will launch a major international project in India. Supported by Rosneft, the artist’s first solo exhibitions in the country will open in New Delhi and Mumbai; according to Safronov’s interview with the Russian business daily Vedomosti, these shows will mark the starting point of an extensive global exhibition itinerary.

The first exhibition will run in New Delhi from December 7 to 21, followed by a second in Mumbai from December 25 to January 15. Ninety-six works will be presented in total, ten of them painted specifically for India. Several pieces are executed in Safronov’s signature “Dream Vision” style. The artist says preparations are advancing at an intensive pace.

Safronov stressed that the project became possible thanks to Rosneft’s support. “The company funds many cultural initiatives and creates an important bridge between Russia and the world. Culture unites people best because it speaks a language everyone understands — the language of positive emotion. I am glad to have become part of these significant and benevolent initiatives,” he said.

For Safronov the project also has personal and spiritual significance. He linked it to a blessing from Pope Francis, who shortly before his death in February 2025 encouraged him to “build spiritual bridges — in the Vatican, across Europe, and around the world.” Recalling their meeting, Safronov said, “I was deeply moved that he did not cancel our audience despite his poor health. We met, and it was clear that the encounter mattered to him as well.” He added that the pontiff was well acquainted with Russian culture.

In preparing for the India exhibitions, Safronov said he immersed himself in the country’s cultural and historical context. “I studied images of Shiva and Brahma, the Taj Mahal, Varanasi, the landscape, architecture and other iconic sites. To capture the atmosphere, I carefully studied Roerich’s paintings to see India and Tibet through his eyes once more,” he explained.

The exhibitions will make extensive use of contemporary technologies. “The presentation will be of a high standard thanks to Rosneft,” Safronov said. “There will be 15 distinct zones, multimedia projections, LED and volumetric displays, cutting-edge technologies including neural-mirror systems, animated ‘living’ paintings, and precision spot lighting. Visitors will be able to approach and see the works as if they glow from within. In short — it will be beautiful and impressive.”

On the role of artificial intelligence, the artist stressed that he does not believe AI can replace a living creator: “Artificial intelligence can suggest ideas, but it cannot do the work for you. Nor can it invent something radically new in art — after all, it is an algorithm.” At the same time, he acknowledged that neural networks can complement the creative process: “AI can compellingly convey your idea to the viewer, make a painting feel ‘alive,’ and help create metaverse-type environments based on the work. It can reveal details that are not always visible to the naked eye on the original. Live art combined with VR and AR technologies is no longer the future — it is already our present.”

Safronov also described his signature Dream Vision approach: “It’s like the dream you have just before waking. When you wake, you remember it for about fifteen minutes. The final impressions — half-blurred and already fading — transfer onto the canvas.” He noted that the sources for these images are varied — “a misty Venice, Pompeii with its blurred frescoes, or a foggy morning in a Russian forest” — and that the technique demands professional mastery of perspective, draftsmanship and color.

On portraiture, a field in which he considers himself particularly adept, Safronov emphasized the importance of the sitter’s inner life: “A portrait is about character and the psychology of a person. You must intuit their psychotype, feel it and convey not so much their outward appearance as their inner world.” He added that personal sympathy for a model is not decisive: “If people choose you, you must treat them with respect as your audience. Social status does not matter. I value everyone who comes simply to see my work, and those who commission me.”

Describing his studio practice, Safronov said he works largely alone: “I have no assistants. There is a restorer and a framing workshop, but no assistant who could replace me. It is very difficult to teach someone to do and think the way you do.”

Asked about future projects, he said he has many plans: “I don’t stick to one thing; I don’t have a single type of sitter, a single direction or technique — I keep changing and painting different subjects. Perhaps I am eclectic in my work.”

Reflecting on professional success, Safronov observed: “If an artist is known, then he is successful because he receives commissions. Ninety percent of creators were known in their lifetimes.” He urged young artists to dedicate themselves to their craft: “If you call yourself an artist, dedicate your life to it — work and improve every day rather than wait for inspiration.” He admitted he never set out to become rich or famous, but that he painted obsessively because he was passionate about the craft.

Concerning expectations for the India exhibitions, Safronov said: “I hope the exhibitions will be successful and attract a wide, diverse audience — local residents, the creative intelligentsia, schoolchildren and businesspeople. We will hold talks, master classes and engage with students. And once again, thanks to Rosneft for supporting and helping develop this project.”