“Everyone is dying over ‘immersive experiences’ now,” laughs Polina Zakh. “I’m like, Oh really? Can we not say these two words?” Her laugh underscores the way the buzzy phrase has been used to the point of meaninglessness over the past few years. But it’s still a useful umbrella term to sum up the kind of future-forward happenings Zakh works on as Vice President of Sila Sveta, a New York and Moscow-based studio specializing in 3D mapping, laser programming, interactive installation, and set design.
Zakh explains the thirst for these experiences stems from the fact that “everyone’s now on their iPhones and people need content.” More than likely, you’ve seen Sila’s work on your feed. Be it ‘grams from Drake’s “Scorpion” tour—this summer, they were brought on by creative director Willo Perron to realize each night’s ambitious VFX—or snaps from the Met Gala, where they worked with Gorgon von Steiner to produce a Rei Kawakubo-inspired video booth for Vogue at the 2017 event.
This is a single caption for the two images above and I'm hoping it works and makes sense and looks chic because I don't want to have to ask for another annoying change
At the core of this kind of multimedia practice, there’s a balance of the commercial and the artistic, as well as a negotiation between how something looks online, versus how it’s experienced IRL. Sila Sveta’s clients include both brands and artists, their work being featured at corporate events and product launches, as well as museums and raves, and of course often ending up shared via phone screen.
“Brands always want the instagrammable moment,” says Zakh. “But what is a little frustrating to me is when you see those installations people do just for the sake of Instagram. If you came in there, you’d just be like really? It’s not what you think it is.” For Zakh it’s vital to make sure when you walk into the space there’s a wow moment. “That’s the best thing for me. If it can be added to the Instagram feed too. Cool. Let’s do it.”
Russian-born Zakh grew up in Saint Petersburg with a childhood stint in San Francisco, but she ended up studying art and business at Sotheby’s in London. She was a contemporary art dealer there before she was introduced to Sila Sveta founders Alexander Us and Alexey Rozov in Moscow in 2015—they met through an artist friend who organized a Midsummer’s Night Dream rave populated by cosplay elves.
"EXCUSE me,
I’m selling EMOTIONS."
"EXCUSE me,
I’m selling EMOTIONS."
As an art dealer, Zakh sometimes faced confusion over how her work could combine creativity and the market. “People would be like, ‘how can you be in this commercial space but for art?’” she recalls. “I’m like, ‘Excuse me, I’m selling emotions.’” Zakh sees her work with Sila as the same but different. “I’m bringing emotions to people just in a different way. You walk into a space and are like Oh my God! How is this possible?”
What is the most memorable time you entered a space and felt like that? For Zakh, it was Orlando Disneyland. “I was five or six and there was this Lion King parade. Now that was an immersive experience. You actually felt like you were in the movie.” Other inspirations? “I’m very much interested in architecture,” says Zakh. “In Russia, the churches are intense. The Orthodox churches are all gold-ish and have these beautiful interiors. I’m personally not a fan of the Church, but I like to go to them to check out the energy.”