While his international reputation is not held in particularly high esteem, Muscovites have shown their admiration for president Vladimir Putin by celebrating his 63rd birthday with an art exhibition dedicated to his honour, depicting the controversial president as well-known superheroes, world leaders, and mythical characters.
Named Putin Universe, the exhibition saw 30 paintings on display, intended to show the Russian president in a favourable light by grafting his face onto the bodies of pre-existing characters and figures from world history. Putin Universe is intended to provoke a new reaction to the Russian leader, by presenting the public with images of him associated with different cultures, countries, ages, and nationalities.
The exhibition's curators said in a statement: “Vladimir Putin’s character is the embodiment of heroism, fairness, slyness, intellect, courage and charm.”
In Moscow, Milos Kojic, one of the organisers, said that those behind Putin Universe “just want to thank him for the job he is doing for the whole planet.” The paintings are the work of Putin admirers, as well as members of the Russian President’s fan group on Facebook.
Putin is depicted in the paintings as the Brazilian footballer Pélé, kicking around a football in the shape of Barrack Obama's head, and as Batman, The Incredible Hulk, and Neo, from The Matrix film franchise. He is also seen as Salvador Dalí, Mahatma Gandhi, Charles de Gaulle, and Muhammed Ali.
The Moscow exhibition is twinned with a similar one based in Hoxton, London.
The Russian president reportedly celebrated his birthday this year by attending an ice-hockey game in Sochi, the Black Sea city which hosted the 2014 Winter Olympic Games.
