Born in Dnepropetrovsk, USSR, Emilia Kabakov eventually moved to the United States, where she established herself as an artist, curator, and art dealer. Her career is defined by a deep engagement with conceptualism, leading to a prolific partnership with Ilya Kabakov that began in 1988.

Since 1997, she has shared credit for the majority of the couple's collaborative projects, which often manifest as large-scale, immersive installations. These works frequently utilize domestic environments and archival materials to examine the complexities of Soviet life and the nature of human memory.

Her recent recognition includes the 2026 presentation of the participatory project Venetian Diary, staged at Palazzo Ca’ Tron and the Venetian Pavilion during the 61st Venice Biennale. This project continues her focus on site-specific installations that function as collective portraits of urban spaces.