Ofoot

Hello! My name is Igor B. and I am 20 y.o. These are my basic characteristics, each of which is certainly not unusual, but all of which together make a very tart cocktail: mathematician, artist, gay, disabled. First of all, I am a mathematics student and a painter. I graduated from a children's art school at the age of 17, but I continue to paint for my own enjoyment. I also tutor high school students in maths and physics, both face-to-face and online. I spend most of my time (except during the summer months) at home (I study at university almost entirely by correspondence, attending lectures 1-2 times a week and taking exams in person).

My drawings: from the age of 6 until now, pencil, paint, grattage, photography; until the age of 12, handpainting, then footpainting; no AI or computer graphics anywhere.

People sometimes ask me what my nickname "the Barefoot" is all about.

This funny nickname comes from the way I usually live my life: my feet are literally bare all the time. It's what my friends started calling me behind my back a few years ago. Not "Igor" or anything like that (because there are a lot of Igors!), but "Barefoot" (I am the only one among us). But I have nothing against it and I use it myself, I even like it! After all, I like to go barefoot outside the house (in the summer). And... it's better than the other possible (in my case) options.

I'm barefoot so much because of the daily functions my feet and toes have to perform. They replace my hands and fingers as I lost both arms up to my shoulders in an injury in 2016 (I've also lost the sight in my right eye, I don't have two toes on my left foot and I limp a bit). From the age of 12, I started learning to use my feet instead of my hands for all aspects of life. I use my feet to serve myself, to smoke (I'm going to quit!), to work on my computer, to draw, etc. And I'm quite good at it! In addition, now that I am gradually going blind in my left eye, my toes are becoming my main organ of touch, as a substitute for sight, and the soles of my feet my organ of orientation in space (at least in my house). That's why my feet, like other people's hands, willy-nilly have to stay naked all the time (except when I'm outdoors; but it's customary to wear gloves on your hands in winter, too!) But if it is quite natural for a person to be "barehand" all the time and not attract attention, then to be always "barefoot" (for whatever reason) is very unusual! That's why my friends started calling me that, and that's where my nickname came from.

This circumstance also caused the exaggerated attention that, as you may have noticed long ago, I pay to the theme of bare feet in my drawings and photographs (mainly my own feet, those of my younger brother Alexander and those of my older cousin Dennis, who, incidentally, for his own reasons, has also had to use his feet as a substitute for his disabled hands since very childhood, and from whom I have learnt a lot, even though we live in different cities).

I don't use chat rooms (I'm a bit uncomfortable with the speed of replies). So I prefer email as a means of extramural communication: igor.bur.net@gmail.com. Anyone can write to me on any subject and ask any question: about art, about tastes, about life. I'm happy to answer. Welcome!