Suetin studied at the Vitebsk Higher Institute of Art, (1918–1922) under Kazimir Malevich,[2] founder of Suprematism, an early abstract art movement which developed a style based on 'non objective' geometric shapes in alignment.
He lived in Petrograd from 1923, and worked at the State Lomonosov Ceramics Factory.
He also worked as a book illustrator and exhibitions designer, where he maintained an avant-garde style despite the demands of Socialist Realism.
Suetin was the chief artist and designer of the USSR pavilions for the 1937 Paris Exhibition,[2] where he worked on the interiors for Boris Iofan's Stalinist pavilion and again at the 1939 New York World's Fair.
[2] Nikolai Suetin is generally considered one of the leading Suprematist artists.