Among the group of excellent artists in Russia, Salakhov excels with his unique style. He has made great contributions with explorations in widening ways of Russian painting in the past over fifty years. His achievements have been generally acknowledged as in the field of “solemn realism”, which, starting in 1960s to 1970s, is a realistic school with deep and profound artistic expression. “Solemnity” is opposite to peace and ease; there should be existence of solemn style in art as life is sometimes solemn as well. For realism, it should be confronted with the problems of life, rather than avoid hardships and difficulties in reality. It is probably easier to excavate the character’s internal spirit and personality in describing the realistic scenes of hardships and difficulties.  

Coming from strict academic training, Salakhov, with great daring and an attitude of research and study, assimilates various means from western contemporary art to enrich his art language, and combines European classical art, contemporary art and eastern traditional art together, with the result of presenting different and unique style in art language as well as vivid and lively flavor of life in his works.