Since 1957 Bulatov began to participate in different group exhibitions. In 1957 he took part in the exhibition of the works of young artists dedicated to the 6th World festival of youth and students in Moscow; in 1958 — the All-Union art exhibition 40 years of VLKSM (the All-Union Leninist Young Communist League) in Manezh, Moscow; in 1965 — common exhibition with V. Kalinin in the house of culture under the I. V. Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy in Moscow; in 1967 — common exhibition with I. Kabakov in the café Blue Bird in Moscow; in 1973 — the exhibition Avant-garde russe. Moscou–73 in the gallery of Dina Vierny in Paris; in 1974 — the exhibition Progressive Strömungen in Moskau 1957–1970 in the Museum Bochum in FRG; in 1991 — the exhibition Other art. Moscow. 1956–76 in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.

Bulatov’s style was formed in late 1960s. In his paintings the artist combined standard naturalistic landscapes with recognizable symbols and banners.

In my works the space of the painting is formed without figure of a man. The man seems to be alive. He has just come in, but the picture had already existed.
E. Bulatov

In his art Bulatov emphasized the contrast between propaganda and reality; he became close to Sots-Art (Socialist art).

In 1989 Bulatov moved to New York; since 1992 he lives and works in Paris.

Works by Erik Bulatov are in the State Tretyakov Gallery (Moscow), in the National Museum of Modern Art and in the Pompidou Center in Paris, in the Ludwig Museum in Cologne and in many other museums.