Ilya Sorkin was born in the former USSR, in 1934. From 1950 to 1956 he studied at the Serov Art College in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg).

Since 1962 he participated in thirty-three group exhibitions in Russia, Japan, Cuba, Bulgaria, Finland, England, Switzerland, Israel and USA. He also exhibited three solo exhibitions: at the "Artists' House", St. Petersburg, Russia (1970),"Jaffa- Dalet Theater", Tel-Aviv-Jaffa (1990) and the "Museum-Gallery", Zfat (1996).

His works are exhibited in the permanent collections of major museums of Russia: the "Ruski Museum"- st Petersburg, the "Orel Museum", "Museum of Sochi" and the "City Museum of Tomsk".

His works can also be found in many private collections in Russia, USA, Canada, Finland, Israel, England, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Brazil and Australia.

After immigrating to Israel in 1990, Ilya settled down in Zfat with his family where he still lives and paints.