Yuri A. Chernikov was born in Voronezh on June 28, 1939. He studied at the Voronezh Architectural and Building College and the Ryazan Art School from 1958 to 1966. Throughout his career he has participated in many exhibitions in Russia. He works primarily in the area of monumental art and photography. In 2006, Chernikov held his personal exhibition of his art photographs in the Exhibition Hall of the Artists Union. He has painted a number of portraits of well known Russians, as well as a watercolor series and a series of monotypes of abstract and nature scenes. Chernikov created ceramic panels on the subjects of A.V.Koltsov’s poetry (1972 - 1974) and panel done in the technique of brass-coining on the subjects of Russian folk holidays (1973). A member of the Artists’ Union since 1993, Chernikov lives and works in Voronezh.