Unfinished Dissertation

Book excerpt: "I, Mikhaylov Boris Andreevich, born 1938, Ukrainian. Father Mikhaylov Andrey Nikolaevich, Ukrainian, born 1909. Mother Mikhaylova Khaya Markovna, Jewish, born 1911. Brother, Mikhaylov Anatoliy Andreevich. The only foreign country I have been to is Poland. I have no criminal record. Now I am employed as a photographer at the House of Political Education (in actual fact I am in charge of cleaning the floors)". In 1985, when the Soviet Union still existed, Mikhaylov created a wonderful series of handcolored and toned photographic prints, integrating philosophical, lyrical or enigmatic statements with pictures of every day life situations. Now that Mikhaylov has become a secret star of the Western art scene -- a "brother" of Ilya Kabakov -- this book shows the poetic power of an artist switching in a staggering way between reality and the artificial. This artist's book is a compelling album of sharp humour, deep sadness and unexpected ruptures that characterize our contemporary lives and our selves.