Ilya Iosifovich Kabakov was born on September 30, 1933 into the family of a mechanic in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. In 1957 he graduated from the graphic art faculty of the Moscow Surikov Art Institute with a diploma of a professional illustrator. From 1956 he contributed for the Detgiz (later Children's Literature) publishing house, and the magazines Malysh, Murzilka, Vesyolye Kartinki. He was an active participant of numerous dissident art exhibitions.

Having tried different styles, including abstract expressionism and surrealism, in the 1970s he found his own manner, that of “romantic conceptualism”.  His archetypal motive was an ordinary Soviet communal flat plunged in the atmosphere of mysterious absurdity.

Since 1989 Ilya Kabakov has been living and working abroad – in Germany, France and the USA. Recently he has been co-authoring with his wife Emilia Kabakova.