July 01, 2014

Simferopol's Banksy


Simferopol's Banksy
Alexander Kadnikov

Sharik[1] is a street artist based in Simferopol, Crimea, whose drawings can be seen in both Russia and Ukraine. He prefers to remain anonymous, naming himself after a balloon. While he has depicted political figures, he has distanced himself from Kiev’s political upheaval and says he has mixed feelings about Russia’s overtaking the peninsula. Anton Trofimov met with Sharik in his hometown.

Who is “Sharik”? Sharik is the creative effort of a regular, statistically average young guy.

You have chosen to remain anonymous. Why? Anonymity is basically a result of the fact that my activity involves breaking the law. Drawing on a wall is an administrative misdemeanor that can lead to punishment. As long as I remain anonymous, people focus on the content of my drawings rather than on who I am.


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