Ivan Kliun (Kliunkov) studied at the Art School in Penza and from 1889 to 1890 at the school of the Society for the promotion of art in Warsaw. From 1890 to 1905 he studied at the studios of F.Rerberg, Il.Mashkov and V.Fisher in Moscow and from 1907 to 1914 at the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg. During those years he participated in exhibitions of the Union of Youth. In 1916 he worked together with the suprematists under Kazimir Malevich at the Verbovka village folk centre. From 1917 to 1921 Kliun was Head of the Central Exhibition Bureau of the Fine Arts Department of Narkompros and taught at the VKhUTEMAS in Moscow.