Alexander K. Bystrov was born in 1956 and was predominantly inspired by the 1970s growing up. Conceptualism is often perceived as a reaction to Minimalism, and the dominant art movement of the 1970s, challenging the boundaries of art with its revolutionary features. The movements that succeeded were all characteristic of a strong desire to progress and strengthen the art world, in response to the tensions of the previous 1960s. Process art branched out from Conceptualism, including some of its most crucial aspects, but going further in creating mysterious and experimental artistic journeys, while Land Art brought creation to the outdoors, initiating early philosophies of environmentalism. In Germany, Expressive figure painting was given a second chance for the first time since the weakening of Abstract Expressionism almost two decades, the genre reclaimed its distinction through the brushstrokes of Gerhard Richter, Anselm Kiefer and Georg Baselitz. The multicultural and refined position that New York city held in the 1960s remained just as influential in the 1970s. With multiple world renowned artists gravitating the galleries and downtown scene, the city once again reinforced its reputation as the artistic heart of the era. The Arte Povera movement, which emerged in Italy, received international acknowledgement in the 1970s, and leading figures such as Jannis Kounnelis, Mario Merz, and Michelangelo Pistoletto were critically acclaimed.