Ilya Kabakov (*1933 in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine † 2023 in Long Island, USA) was an internationally renowned conceptual artist and is considered one of the most influential figures of Russian Nonconformist Art. He studied at the Art Academy in Moscow and initially worked as a book illustrator before gaining international recognition in the 1970s and 1980s for his large-scale, immersive installations.
Kabakov’s work critically engaged with Soviet everyday life, communism, and utopian ideals. Together with his wife, Emilia Kabakov, he created complex installations that often combined fictional biographies, constructed spaces, and layered narratives — most famously in his iconic piece “The Man Who Flew into Space from His Apartment” (1985).
After emigrating to the United States in the late 1980s, Kabakov lived and worked in New York. His works have been exhibited at major international institutions and exhibitions, including Documenta, the Venice Biennale, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA, New York), the Centre Pompidou (Paris), and the Tate Modern (London).
His work remains a central contribution to the exploration of memory, ideology, and the power of storytelling in the 20th century.
