Igor Viktorovich Baranov is a painter and graphic artist. He was born in St. Petersburg in 1983. He graduated from the Graphic Department of the Ilya Repin St. Petersburg Institute of Fine Arts, Sculpture, and Architecture.

His graduation work was a series of 16 hand-painted etchings titled “Kalevala”. They were immediately acquired by the Scientific Research Museum of the Russian Academy of Arts for its permanent collection. Baranov’s work on the epic poem “Kalevala” is a notable example of a contemporary artistic trend that blends traditions of folk art with modern movements. His works are characterized by their unique interpretation of the characters and themes of the “Kalevala”, as well as their distinctive visual style, which incorporates archaic elements and contemporary features.

In an interview, the artist Igor Baranov was asked about the relevance of the “Kalevala” and its motifs for modern audiences. He responded as follows,

Kalevala is the land of Kaleva, the mythical forefather. It is home to the heroes of the eponymous epic. These heroes are Wainamoinen (Vainämäinen), Ilmarinen, and Lemminkainen (Lemminkäinen). Pohyola (Pohjola), on the other hand, is a distant and harsh land across the sea, with snow-capped mountains and ice. It is ruled by the powerful and domineering witch Louhi. Despite the hostile attitude of the inhabitants of Kalevala towards Pohyola, it is this land where they find their wives, therefore the residents of these two lands are related by blood. In the epic poem “Kalevala”, the struggle between them escalates, with the heroes ultimately emerging victorious over the “dark forces”.