Born in Moscow in 1993, Ivan Afonskii graduated from the Graphics Department of the Surikov Moscow State Academic Art Institute and currently lives and works in France. His work is grounded in a rigorous classical education, evident in the discipline, compositional clarity and technical precision that define his practice. Through a refined sensitivity to color and material, Afonskii reinterprets academic traditions through a contemporary lens.

Working across oil, watercolor, acrylic, tempera, and mosaic, Afonskii demonstrates both versatility and control. Central to his artistic vision is the desire to depict contemporary life using the visual language of classical art. He is particularly drawn to portraiture, viewing the human face as a profound reflection of reality and individual experience.

Rooted in direct observation, his paintings focus on gesture, expression, and the quiet details of everyday existence. Drawing from his immediate surroundings, relationships, travels, and numerous self-portraits, Afonskii creates an ongoing visual diary that captures moments both intimate and universal.

Balancing technical mastery with emotional sensitivity, his paintings possess a quiet honesty and introspective quality through which he invites the viewer into his world. Whether portraying a face or a landscape, each subject becomes a means of articulating his experience of life.