Ekaterina
Smirnova

Visual artist and producer working at the intersection of data, ecology and human perception. Creating immersive installations and spatial experiences where information becomes something you feel, not just see.

MA student at FH Salzburg

Art & Science graduate, ITMO University.

Her path began in design — she founded her own studio Niretak in 2008 and spent years learning how visual language shapes the way people perceive space and information. This practical foundation gradually evolved into a deeper question: not just how things look, but how they are felt.

That question led her to performative practices, neural interfaces and brain activity visualisation at Tallinn University Summer School, to embodiment facilitation and the study of empathy and emotional response to environment, and to two scholarships at the Salzburg International Summer Academy of Fine Arts — where she created public art installations exploring city perception and the phenomenology of memory through photogrammetry and natural materials.

Her Art & Science Master's at ITMO University crystallised these threads. Her research into plastic degradation by wax worms became the project Terribly Beautiful — presented at the central art fair of St. Petersburg in 2024 at the Central Manege.

In 2025 she led the creation of a large-scale immersive historical exhibition at the federal multimedia complex Russia is My History — a monumental project built on personal memories of the Second World War, where she designed and produced the entire visual world of the exhibition.

She is currently based in Salzburg, Austria, completing a Master's in Multimedia Art Production at FH Salzburg — continuing her research into how data, space and sensory experience create states of presence and awe.


Ekaterina works with the theme of memory and human perception, including historical memory and neuroscience, bioart and public art, eco interventions using sound, AR and digital media, mixed arts.

EXHIBITIONS and FESTIVALS

2025

Historical Museum complex "Russia is my history" (Saint Peterburg), Immersive multimedia exhibition "EYES", art direction, multimedia content production


2024

  • 1703 Saint Petersburg Art fair, Central Manege, project "Terribly beautiful", art&science research, jewelry collection and plexiglass art pieces
  • Summer Academy of Fine Arts in Salzburg (Austria), "Circle of life", Installation as territory from natural materials
  • Day of tourism, City multimedia festival (Saint Petersburg), Palace Square (art direction, multimedia content production)

2023

  • Summer Academy of Fine Arts in Salzburg (Austria), "Insidiout Salzburg", tactile audiovisual installation
  • Art Tech Festival, "Concerning to everyone", site-specific intervention (Vladivostok)
  • ARTLIFE 2023 Festival, "Secret garden", AR collaboration with the painter (Central Manage, Moscow)



EDUCATION


2025-now

FH Salzburg (Austria) /

Multimedia Art Producing


2022-2024

ITMO University (St. Petersburg) /

Art&Science Master’s International Program


1998-2003

St. Petersburg University ofFilm andTelevision /

Engineer in technology of digital photography




LABORATORIES and RESIDENCES

2024


2023

  • Expedition "Vladivostok Fortress: Peaceful fortifications" (Vladivostok)
  • ARTLIFE2023 Festival, participant of AI AR Laboratories Fidgital+
  • Summer Academy of Fine Arts in Salzburg (Austria), 3D scanning course as a creative tool and a look at history and architecture
  • IV Biennale of Street Art in Moscow, participant of the city laboratories at the Winery

2022

Interactive media design (Contented)


2021

Master class on the New stage of the Alexandrinsky Theater / "Stravinsky's Spring” / Interaction of live music andtechnical agents (robot, manipulator, light and sound)


2018

Facilitation of Group Creativity (St. Petersburg Association of Facilitators)


2017-2018

EFC Russia 2018 (Embodied Facilitator Course)


2018

Experimental Interaction Design (Tallinn University)

COMMERCIAL PROJECTS OF NIRETAK TEAM

see projects


Main area of projects is in the field of interactive media, graphic and web design, 3D, animation


2026

Lada / Business conference for 1000 people, Toliatti (visual multimedia production, speakers content)

VK store / design of pavilions for VK Fest (large festival all over Russia)

Gazprom stand for SPIF (Interactive interface design)


2025

Sberbank, Moscow (branding stands, presentations)

Alright Business conference, Nizniy Novgorod (interactive presentations)

New Year show, Center of Culture, Saint Petersburg


2024

Day of tourism / City multimedia festival / Saint Petersburg, Palace Square (art direction, multimedia content production)

Future games / cyber sport event / Kazan (stand of Sber/art direction)


2023

Large scale interactive ice area Ice City, Altai, Sberbank (multimedia production)

1000 sq.m park in the Riga Mall shopping center, Moscow (Interfaces Design)

Book Salon Festival, St. Petersburg (Interfaces Design)

VK FEST, Saint Petersburg (Interfaces Design)

Forum of Russia for Vk at VDNH, Moscow (Interfaces Design)


2020

Forsage / Outdoor Theme Park / Sochi


2020

Blastertag / Theme Park / Moscow, CDM shopping center on Lubyanka, Moscow


2019

Blastertag / Theme Park / Moscow, Riviera shopping center, Moscow



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