Russin born artist Igor Smirnov, a former leader of unofficial or “underground” artists in Leningrad, Russia (now St. Petersburg) currently resides in San Marcos, California with his family.
During his time in Russia, Smirnov along with other artists in the underground founded the art group OSTROV meaning "island". The group declared that the goal of their work was to create harmonious paintings in order to promote the spiritual evolution of the individual. Their intent was not to oppress the human psyche, but to open the path to the philosophical and religious enlightenment and to the flights of fantasy into the cosmic spheres.
When asked about how Smirnov would describe his work he said, “My artwork is a synthesis of shape, symbols, science, and spirituality. It embraces a scientific knowledge inspired by music and religion. I intend for my artwork to find peace and harmony for people living in the modern world"
