The amazing story of painter and traveler, Fyodor Konyukhov

Fedor Konyukhov (born December 12, 1951) is an extraordinary and multifaceted individual. He is at once a priest, a writer, an artist, and a traveler. In addition, he is a trained ship mechanic and helmsman. He previously lived in Belarus and Ukraine, but has resided in Moscow since 1995. That is, of course, if you can talk about a permanent place of residence in Konyukhov's case. // From the series "My friends at risk", 1986

He is the first person in the world to reach five of our planet's most out-of-reach points: the geographic North Pole (three times), the geographic South Pole, the Arctic Pole, Mount Everest (highest point on Earth), and Cape Horn (the most difficult challenge in yachting). // Mother, 1975

This year, for instance, he crossed the Pacific Ocean by himself in a row boat named Turgoyak. He did so without stopping in any ports or having outside assistance, and returned safely home. The traveler began his journey on December 22, 2013, from the port of Concón in Chile. He traversed more than 17,000 kilometers (approximately 10,500 miles), finishing in the city of Mooloolaba in the Australian state of Queensland. // Dream of my boat, 2004

In 1983, he was accepted into the Union of Artists of the Soviet Union. He has been a member of the Moscow Union of Artists since 1996, in the Drawing and Sculpture sections. He holds the title of academician at the Russian Academy of Arts. The artist has more than 3,000 paintings under his belt. He is also a frequent participant in Russian and international exhibitions alike. // Contemplation. From the series Road to the North. 1986

The Moscow Museum of Modern Art is currently presenting Fyodor Konyukhov's works (the exhibition will remain open until January 25, 2015). Most of the exhibition's expositions will be dedicated to his drawings and paintings from the 1970s to 2014. // Chukotka, 1982

The forms that appear in Konyukhov's art formed during his expeditions. On his trips to the North and South Poles and while surmounting Mount Everest, Fyodor Konyukhov jotted down notes and sketches using a pencil at temperatures of -40 to -50 degrees Celsius. // Lone skier, 2002

On board his yacht while circumnavigating the globe, Konyukhov worked on new themes for future paintings. Back in Moscow, while wrapping up his expedition, the artist created lithographs, etchings, and paintings that would also become part of the exhibit. // Path to the Commander, 1984

Fyodor Konyukhov's creative process as an artist is based on the synthesis of man and nature into a single form. In the five years he lived on the Chukotka Peninsula, Konyukhov sketched hundreds of pages on the theme "The Daily Life of the People of the North". // The Path to the Pole, 1984

"I want the viewers who come to the exhibition to see the world that I love and feel the beauty of life of each person living on planet Earth," Fyodor Konyukhov says. // Old Chukchi, 1985

In addition to Konyukhov's artworks, historic artifacts from his journeys will also be displayed at the exhibition. Among them are the paddles he used to cross the Pacific Ocean in 159 days, the equipment used when he climbed Mount Everest, and other objects that have been in extreme places on the planet. // Fjord Nansen, 1983