Soviet artist and book graphic illustrator Vladimir Vasilyevich Sterligov, a student of Kazimir Severinovich Malevich, was a brilliant intellectual. In addition to being a unique creator, Rustam Khalfin transformed and escaped the realm of suprematism. Not only was Khalfin a talented follower of the Sterligov School, but he also developed the theory of "cup-dome consciousness" within his circle of peers. From the 1970s to 1990, Khalfin worked closely with poets and illustrated books written by Alexander Vvedensky and Daniil Kharms, and was a member of an artistic movement that promoted both pictorial and realistic styles of art. In 1934-1938, Sterligov himself was imprisoned at Karlag, a labor camp run by the communist government, due to his political beliefs. After he was released from prison, the artist spent a short period of time in Karaganda, but he managed to become the chairman of the organizing committee for the local branch of the Union of Artists in the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic.

For the second time, Sterligov returned to Kazakhstan after suffering a concussion on the front lines. From 1942 to 1945, he resided in Alma-Ata and worked at a local theatre and art college as a teacher. His fate led him to this city in association with the artist Tatyana Glebova, a student of Pavel Filonov. Under Sterligov's leadership, the artistic life of Alma-Ata flourished: he worked at the Central Art Museum and hospitals and founded a studio at the Union of Artists, where he developed artistic ideas and taught history and perspective to students at an art college. In addition, he conducted literary broadcasts on the radio and studied the technique of fresco painting. As a result, he painted a wall fresco for the Union of Artists of Kazakhstan. In cooperation with KazISO, Sterligow completed the illustrations for seven children's books. By the end of 1945, he returned to Leningrad. At the beginning of 1962, as he was developing the theory of his mentor, K.S. Malevich, on surplus elements in fine art, he discovered a new surplus element in art from the 1960s - the "straight curve". His theory, which he named "Cup-Dome Consciousness", inspired other artists to follow his lead and create a new form of plastic art - curved.

In 1971, Rustam Khalifin met Sterligov in Leningrad and was impressed by his talent and creativity. Returning to Alma-Ata, Khalifin supported Sterligov's ideas by organizing apartment exhibitions featuring his followers' work.