Ekaterina
Smirnova

Designer, architect, entrepreneur and of Master's degree, ITMO University (St. Petersburg, Russia) of the international Art&Science program.


Artistic and research interests are focused on the study of human perception, emotions, memory and behavior when interacting with the environment – human and non-human agents, sounds, light and space, especially the space of the urban environment.

In 2003, Ekaterina graduated from the St. Petersburg State University of Cinema and Television with a degree in engineering from the Faculty of Photography and Recording Materials Technology and further developed as a graphic and web designer, and in 2008 she created her own team and design studio Niretak. And in 2024 finished her Master's degree.



Her creative and scientific path as an artist of scientific art began when she was a student at the Tallinn University Summer School in 2018, where she studied performative practices, technical aspects of creating interactive visualization of brain activity using neural interfaces.



The summer school was a natural continuation of the study of emotions and perception at the annual international program of embodiment facilitation, where Ekaterina studied empathy, human interactions and the influence of the environment on the emotional state.

Twice she was a scholarship holder from Salzburg International Summer Academy of Fine Arts (Austria) and created projects of public art installations based on photogrammetry and natural materials, exploring perception of the city and the field of places of memory.

She works a lot with the space perception and historical context, so she was selected as a member of expedition to Vladivostok (ArtTech Moscow + ITMO University) to explore the city history and cultural context to create multimedia art festival as a result.

During her Masters she started the research based on plastic degradation by wax worms and created the art&science project "Terribly beautiful" which was presented on the main art fair in Saint Petersburg in 2024 in Central Manege.

In 2025 Ekaterina became the coauthor of historical exhibition in multimedia immersive format in the Historical Complex "Russia is my history" based on memories of people after The Second World War, she was the one who created all visual materials and exhibition project.


Ekaterina works with the theme of memory, including historical memory and neuroscience, bioart and public art, space perception, eco interventions using sound, AR and digital media, mixed arts, moreover in her free time she is modern ballet dancer and sings in a group.

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

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

NIRETAK.ru


2023

Designing a 1000 sq.m park in the Riga Mall shopping center, Moscow

Development of installation interfaces for the Book Salon Festival, St. Petersburg

Development of installation interfaces for VK FEST, Saint Petersburg

Development of interfaces and design of installations for the Forum of Russia for Vk at VDNH, Moscow


2020

Fast and Furious / Outdoor Theme Park / Sochi


2020

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


2019

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


and many other projects in the field of graphic and web design, as well as 3D, animation and design, which are presented on the studio's website niretak.ru


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