Yuri Alexandrovich Shtapakov: A Visionary Engraver and Metal Artist Inspired by Tolkien & Vian Yuri Alexandrovich Shtapakov (born Saint Petersburg, Russia, 1958) occupies a unique position within the landscape of contemporary Russian art—a celebrated engraver and sculptor whose artistic endeavors are profoundly shaped by the imaginative worlds crafted by Robert Tolkien and Boris Vian. His journey began with architectural studies, grounding him in spatial understanding and structural precision – skills that would subsequently inform his sculptural explorations. Simultaneously, he honed graphi…