Large scale historical paintings, thorough development of the theme, ethnographic accuracy, multi-figure compositions and virtuoso execution is what Ilya Zorkin excels at. The Russian Academy of Arts awarded Ilya with a gold medal as the best painter. This way of celebrating the merits of the outstanding graduates continues the pre-revolutionary traditions of the Imperial Academy of Arts. Aivazovsky, Brullov, Repin and other prominent Russian painters who defined the classical school of painting of the 19th century have all received this award in the past.

Born and raised in Saint-Petersburg, Russia, Ilya graduated with distinction from the prestigious Repin Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture in St.Petersburg, Russia in 2019 like other fascinating artists such as Yuriy Ushakov, Valeria Privalikhina and Yaroslava Tichshenko and received an invitation to teach at the same institution.

Ilya participates in national and international art exhibitions and is currently represented by The Russian Ark.