Anatoly Osmolovsky was born in 1969 in Moscow, Russia. He began his career as a writer, and was a member of the literary group "Vertep" before 1989. Between 1990-92, he was the leader of the ETI (Art Territory Expropriation) movement, and participated in a series of street performances/provocations, including "Fuck," "We feel colds," "Index Finger," and "Perusing with Fire."