Valera and Natasha Cherkashin are artists who have been exploring the cultures of the USSR, Russia, the United States, Great Britain, Germany, Spain, Japan and Mongolia for more than 15 years. They have held more than 80 individual exhibits and more than 40 performances. Their work has been the subject of 30 television programs and over 200 publications.

1992 - Developed the conceptual museum <The Cherkashin Metropolitan Museum>.
1993 - Awarded grant from the Foundation of Social Innovations, USA, <New Leaders of Russia>.
1994 - Began work on the theme of <Travel as Art>.
1995 - Began work on the theme of <Mirages of Empires>.
1996 - Worked on project <Atlantis of the World>.
1997 - Began work on the theme of <Favorite Portraits of People in the World>.
1999 - An underwater installation <Good-bye Favorite European Portraits: Hello Euro> in atrium pool, World Bank Headquarters.
1999 - The Cherkashins have started to work with digital production with the assistance of MFA Photography and Related Media Department of the School of Visual Arts, located in New York City.
1999 - A four-month grant from Japan Foundation to live and work in Japan.
1999 - <Art as a tool for diplomacy> - an artistic solution in Japan on the issue of Northern Territories;
2000 - Participation in the International Photo Festival PhotoEspana, Caja Madrid, Spain.
2001 - Permanent exposition <Good-bye Favorite European Portraits> in the World Bank Headquarters.
2002 - Exhibition in the State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg. Catalog.
2002 - Grant from the Soros Foundation for the participation in "Intersection", Mongolia.
2003 - Cherkashins were given an award by "Creative" Magazine and the Union of Journalists as the Creative Photo Artists of the year.

Collections: The State Russian Museum; The Art Institute of Chicago (1994;1996); Boston Museum of Fine Arts; Philadelphia Museum of Art; The Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Houston Museum of Fine Arts; Santa Fe Museum of Fine Art; The Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, Austin, TX; The Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers University, New Jersey; Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Newseum, Washington, DC;  Museum am Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin; The International Center of Photography, Tokyo, Japan.