Iliatova grew up in Leningrad (former Soviet Union) before immigrating to Brooklyn at sixteen. She received a BA from Brandeis University and an MFA in Painting/Printmaking from Yale University, with further study at the Skowhegan School of Art and a residency at Marie Walsh Sharpe Foundation. Iliatova was awarded a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Painting and Cafe Royal Cultural Foundation Grant. 

As she moves through memory and time, Iliatova’s self-portraiture method anchors the dreamlike imagery of her paintings. She describes the vicissitudes of her younger self as “ciphers, stand-ins, imposters, and actresses”. The hybrid environments they inhabit mirror the changes in modern spaces; whether postindustrial cities, cryptic boarding schools, or suburban landscapes. Iliatova’s employment of naturism and deeply emotive color schemes aid in an oscillation between the observational and, in the artist’s words “an anxious frenzied fête galante.” She intertwines elements of hyperrealism with fantastical narratives, weaving a tapestry that delves into the depths of memory, identity, and the subconscious.

Iliatova’s work is represented by Nathalie Karg Gallery, NYC. She has exhibited across the US as well in Spain, Italy, Germany, Denmark, and Great Britain. Iliatova’s work was included in exhibitions at the Warehouse Dallas, Fahrenheit Madrid, Monya Rowe Gallery, Katonah Museum, the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco and in the upcoming exhibition at the Musee Granet, France. Her work has been reviewed in Art Forum, Art in America, ARTnews, The New York Times, The Houston Chronicle, The Boston Globe, Time Out New York, and other publications.