Son of philosopher and design theorist Karl Kantor, founder of magazine Decorative Arts, and Tatiana Kantor, geneticist.In 1980 Maxim Kantor graduated from the Moscow State University of Printing Art, and took the role in anti-soviet under- ground art. Became known as watchful observer of modern society, sharp political critic, but at the same time - as aphilosopher interpreting European complex historical process in its basis aesthetic criteria. Honorary Fellow of Pembroke College, Oxford University. University of Turin proposed him as doctor of philosophy honoris causa to the Ministry of Education of Italy. Started to be exhibited in Europe since 1986. Held personal shows in museums around the world, among them: Frankfurt Staedel Museum, Schirn Kunsthalle, Moscow State Tretyakov Gallery, Hannover Sprengel Museum, Bochum Museum, London British Museum, Akademie der Kunste, Berlin, Osnabrük Felix Nussbaum Museum, South Australian Gallery, Adelaida, LuxembourgNational Museum, Saint-Petersburg State Russian Museum, Academyof Fine Art in Vienna, National Museum in Gdansk, etc. In 1997 he represented Russia on 47 Biennale d'Arte di Venezia with the personal exhibition "Criminal Chronicle". Collaborated with number of art galleries (Eva Poll, Berlin; Asbaek, Copenhagen; Nierendorf, Berlin; Wittrock Kunsthandel, Dusseldorf-Berlin; Barry Fridman, New York). Academic of the Russian Academy of Fine Arts.