I. Ruban studied at the K.P. Chemko Studio under D.N.Kardovsky tutelage between 1927 - 1929 and at I.E. Grabar Studio between 1930 - 1934. In 1930 he joined the membership of  "The VseKoKhudozhnik" All-Russian Cooperative Association in Moscow. He graduated from the Moscow State V.I. Surikov Art Institute in 1942. He is a member of the Artists' Union of the USSR since 1942. The title of a Honoured Worker of Culture of RSFSR has been confered on him in 1966; a Distinguished Worker of Culture of USSR in 1988. He took an active part in the All-Union and Republican art exhibitions beginning with 1934. Personal exhibitions took place in Moscow, Leningrad, Vologda, Arkhangelsk, Murmansk since 1935. He organized Folk Arts museums in Tiksi, Podtesov (on the Yenisej River), Kholmsk (Sakhalin Island). His paintings are displayed in the collections of 30 Art and Area Studies museums and more, including the State Tretyakov's Gallery, the State Russian Museum and also abroad.