Vladimir Shinkarev was born in 1954 in Leningrad. From 1974 till 1977 he studied art at the Repin Academy of Paintings, Sculpture and Architecture and at the Leningrad Vera Mukhina Higher School of Art and Design. Since 1975 he began participating in apartment exhibitions of non-conformist artists. Vladimir Shinkarev’s book «MITKI» (1984) gave rise to the movement of the same name. Thus, he became one of the cofounders of this group, and left it in 2008. He is also known as novelist, author of a number of books, including «Maxim and Fyodor» (1978-80), which now have a cult status. In 2008 Shinkarev was awarded the Literature Prize named after Joseph Brodsky. His works are in the collections of the The State Tretyakov Gallery, The State Hermitage Museum, The State Russian Museum, The Victoria and Albert Museum (London, UK). Shinkarev lives and works in St. Petersburg.