Open Forum and public discussion of the art and life of Nicholaas Chiao - the Contemporary Artist of Belarus-American origins. Nicholaas Chiao was born in 1981 in Minsk, Belarus SSR. Nicholaas was born into a family of Soviet computer scientists. His great-grandfather, Alexander Staszewski, was the Minister of Justice of BSSR during Joseph Stalin's era. Staszewski was accused of espionage for Poland and executed during Stalinist repressions. Nicholaas Chiao is a multidisciplinary artist who has done painting, drawing, sculpture, and internet projects. He is also known for his works in the pluralism of styles on the themes of ethics, science, the joy of life, and the sadness of death.