Born in Amsterdam, Robert Kleyn grew up in Vancouver and became a Canadian in 1965. After studying at UBC and being active in early photo-conceptual, projection-based and video art in Vancouver, he moved to Italy to continue his practice. From 1976 to 1986, he was in Rome, also working in theatre and film, and participating in numerous solo and group shows. From 1986 to 1988, he lived in New York, where he was associated with the interdisciplinary groups Colab Projects  and Machine Language with Willoughby Sharp and Wolfgang Staehle. He returned to Canada in 1988, first to Vancouver, then to Windsor/Detroit, teaching at the University of Michigan and the University of Detroit. Back in Vancouver since 2003, he practices as Robert Kleyn Architect, specializing in art-related projects. As an architect, he has had honourable mentions in several international design competitions. Kleyn has collaborated with artists including Jochen Gerz, Stan Douglas, Rodney Graham, Fabio Mauri, Stan Douglas and others. Kleyn has received numerous Canada Council Awards, served on Rome Prize, Venice Biennale and other juries