Natalia Nesterova was born in Moscow in 1944. Between 1955 and 1962 she studied at the Moscow Secondary Art School and graduated from Zhilinsky’s class at the Surikov Institute of Art in Moscow in 1968.
Nesterova was one of the best known artists of the 1970s. She actively participated in the artistic life of Moscow, and together with Nazarenko and Zhilinsky became one of the leading members of the left wing of the Union of Artists. Her system of images incorporates folkloric motifs, biblical symbolism, and elements drawn from the artistic traditions of the Middle Ages. A central theme in her work is loneliness, stemming from the lack of normal communication in society, and the absurd relationship between people and the world of objects that surrounds them. Her compositions resemble short stories and fables.
Nesterova’s works can be seen in many major museums in Europe and the United States. She divides her time between New York and Moscow.