Pyotr Subbotin was born on December 6, 1886, in the village of Kudymkar, which today is the capital of the Autonomous Okrug. His father, Ivan Vasilyevich Subbotin, was a serf of the Stroganovs and worked as a miller at the local mill. His mother, Maria Pimenovna, had peasant roots and was Komi-Permyak. In 1898, after finishing primary school in Kudymkar, Pyotr was sent to Perm to enroll in a real school.

In Perm, the future artist entered the Perm Real School, where he studied from 1898 to 1904, completing a five-grade program. In 1904, he transferred to the Vyatka Real School, where he studied for only a year before returning to Perm. From 1906 to 1907, he studied again in Perm in the seventh grade of the school, but did not complete the course. In 1907, Pyotr Subbotin moved to Moscow and enrolled in the Imperial Stroganov School of Art and Industry.

In 1914, Pyotr Ivanovich Subbotin-Permyak graduated from the art school and stayed there to teach. From 1914 to 1919, he worked at the art school, and in 1919 he was sent to the Perm province to organize art workshops. By October 1921, he opened workshops in Perm, Kungur, and Kudymkar. In November 1921, he became the lead artist at the Perm State Art College, where he trained Perm artists.

In April 1922, Pyotr Ivanovich was forced to leave his position due to deteriorating health. He returned to work in August 1922 as the head of the educational department of the art college. In less than five years, he effectively organized an art school in the Kama region from scratch and laid the foundations for painting education in Perm. He also founded the Komi-Permyak Local History Museum and did much for its operation.

Pyotr Ivanovich Subbotin-Permyak passed away on January 6, 1923, due to lung disease and was buried at the Yegoshikha Cemetery in Perm. In 2001, a monument in the form of a portrait, easel, and palette was erected at his grave. His name is carried by the local history museum in Kudymkar, as well as several streets in the capital of the region. The artist's works are kept in the museum of Kudymkar and the Perm Art Gallery.

Pyotr Ivanovich Subbotin-Permyak had a significant impact on the development of painting both in the Perm region and in the country. His main achievement for the Kama region was the organization of an art school and the creation of a network of workshops that became cultural centers. Despite this, the artist did not receive due recognition on a national scale, although his works are characterized by depth and a unique style.

Subbotin-Permyak's creativity can be divided into several stages. The first stage began in the early 20th century, with the first preserved works dating back to 1906 and ending in 1910-1911, when he began to develop his style. During this period, he followed academicism and sought his path. One of the best works of this time is the painting "Village Street," created in 1909.

The second stage began in the early second decade of the 20th century, when after studying at the art school, Subbotin-Permyak developed his style. His works are characterized by attention to detail, brightness of colors, and a desire to convey dynamism. In 1914, while finishing school, he painted three works: "Song to Perun," a sketch for the opera "Mlada," and "The Kremlin of Boris Godunov's Time." In these works, one can see the emergence of a new direction in painting, cubo-futurism, which became the third stage of his creativity.

Cubo-futurism appeared at the intersection of cubism and futurism, combining simplicity of lines and composition. This style was practiced by Kazimir Malevich, Olga Rozanova, and Lyubov Popova. Poems in this style were written by Vladimir Mayakovsky and Velimir Khlebnikov. Pyotr Subbotin-Permyak was one of the bright representatives of this movement, creating concise and vibrant works starting in 1918.

Works in the cubo-futurism style allowed him to create unique canvases. During this period, he painted works such as "Web," "City," "Still Life with Musical Instruments," and "In the Field." In them, his talent manifested, with an original portrayal of the image, an unconventional color palette, lightness of composition, and unusual placement of accents. These paintings teach the viewer unconventional thinking and understanding of the image through details.

Pyotr Ivanovich Subbotin-Permyak left behind not only many beautiful paintings but also a system of art education in the Perm region. He not only made life brighter but also taught others to look at familiar things in a new way. Over time, his works should receive higher recognition and take their rightful place in the art of the 20th century.