Born in Moscow, into a family of two Russian composers, Elena Firsova and Dmitri Smirnov, he left Russia at the age of 6 and settled in England. From the age of 15 he studied art privately with Russian artist and restorer Alexander Kolesnik, and then continued his education at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design (Foundation), Slade School of Fine Art (BA in Fine Art), and on The Drawing Year at The Prince's Drawing School (now the Royal Drawing School).

He studied Art History, Film History, Sculpture, Painting (Italian), and marble carving in Italy.

His parents were dissident composers who fled the Soviet Union. Their compositions are played in concerts all over the world, and this is how he started going to museums, from childhood onwards, while attending these music festivals.