Observing Leonid Purygin’s paintings, one will notice a broad spectrum of allusions, as his style can at once be associated with naïve painting and the universe of Hieronymus Bosch. His choice of format was inspired by icons and altarpieces of multiple panels, while his conceptuality was defined by religion, pantheism and the exploration of the subconscious. He himself preferred the term mystical realism, and to him painting was indeed a peculiar experience, when he exists solely there in the process of creating a painting, and after which he returns to the world – the purpose of his work was not the finished painting, but solely the creative process of painting. His piece Self-Portrait – Ships is a parody of the altarpiece format, with Purigin placing himself in the position of Christ, and representing the visual world alluding to Christian iconography through the filter of demonology. In his own artistic mythology, he views himself as a man forgotten by God, who was possessed by a Genius controlling his actions. At the same time, he also professes that omnipresent God creates harmony between nature and man. This pseudo-philosophy and religion clearly resurfaces in his Self-Portrait, which is in turn enhanced by an interesting layer of meaning with the inscription in the heart: “Comrades, don’t kill me, I love You!