An immigrant who was born in the former Soviet Union, Alex started expressing himself at an early age. He was fascinated by the images he saw in books, especially the phantasmagorical. At age 11 he learned the repression that many Russian artists found, when he was reprimanded in school for a painting of “the devil” amidst rocks in school. He suffered many such reprimands over the rest of his early years.
Arriving in the United States, after completing a medical degree in Moscow, he continued both his art and medical career. He also became an author and translator. His art expresses his complex theories of western and eastern thought, science and religion.
As a writer he has written eleven books, eight of which are novels, and the other three are short stories, poetry, and essays.
His paintings reflect his background and a tendency to look at the dark side and a passionate disposition of the truth. They have caused controversy in his new homeland. When some of his paintings, particularly one of a nude elderly couple embracing was displayed at a Westville, CT gallery, shades of the Soviet Union. Some visitors to the gallery complained to the police, who went to the gallery and had the owner remove them. But this is the United States after all and the Mayor of New Haven, John DeStefano Jr. was so embarrassed by the negative publicity, that he arranged for an exhibit in City Hall.
Kanevsky has received praise and awards from International (He was the first winner of the International prize from the 1999 Italian art festival) art shows and wherever his work has been displayed in Europe.. Speaking about the incident at the gallery here in the U. S. he said “It’s better to hear some controversy. I think controversy is a compliment”
His education and training in Russia gave him a distinct perspective, which some people can not appreciate. Yet his work is powerful and thought provoking and like any artist’s work, should be viewed and judged in the context of his background.

The Monumental figurative composition expresses complex theories encompassing western and eastern thought, science and religion that Kanevsky holds concerning the beginning and the end of the world and powers and struggles of existence.”
Ronny Cohen, art critic, New York

Concerned with grand themes: God and human history,... Explorations into the conscience of man; past, present and future. Like Goya before him, Kanevsky isn’t afraid to look at the dark side, with a passionate disposition for truth”
Franklin Sirmans, art critic, New York

“Revolutionary art. Kanevsky’s ideas are reaching the abyss, awakening the everlasting amalgam of births, transformations and destructions... veering about towards highest levels of spirituality, towards veritable unhypocritical religiosity, towards his golden domes of churches. . The artist, who sees from unembracable past to several centuries ahead.”
J. C. Briggs, art critic, London

“Raging imagination astride a diverting sense of color.
Away from the logic of one shape’s influence upon another, we may look to certain periods of Richard Oelze, Asger Jorn or Marc Chagall fbr similaiities of exotic vision or force of line but Kanevsky’s impetuous flights into dark layers of anthropomorphic determination and unleashable religiosity draw from knotier fiber”
“Book Art Press”