Alena, tell us what is the idea of Illuma?

— IIlluma. is an aesthetic intelligence that highlights the important meanings of brands using the universal language of art. For over 10 years, we have been engaged in art branding and integrating art into the lives of companies striving for beauty and creation. Together with bright multidisciplinary artists, we create art projects that do not live in museums, but meet people in everyday life: in the lobby of a hotel or residential complex, in a shopping or business center, on the street, at a bus stop, at the airport. We transfer the point of contact with art from museums to everyday life.
Such art collaborations of brands and artists can be compared to the unification of heaven and earth, i.e. the airy creative component with the pragmatic fundamental. These unions lead to unexpected and revolutionary results. Art in interaction with business creates a new language of perception, it launches a generator of ideas and sets the whole mechanism in motion.

What tasks does Illuma help businesses solve?

— We have two areas of work. The first is the integration of art. By collaborating with us, brands can improve their positioning, interact with their audience and stand out in a competitive market thanks to the power of art. We will help businesses beautifully highlight their fundamental values ​​and meanings, strengthen ties with current and future clients, gain media publicity, create a new image or complement re-branding, emphasize premium status, and specifically attract an audience - new or target. In addition to creating art objects, we integrate art into a brand's product: we develop prints for postcards or merch, create a limited collection of items for a company, etc.
The second direction is professional consulting of collectors. We provide turnkey art consulting, accompanying the client from the selection and purchase of art objects to the execution of documents and insurance. The company works with both beginners and experienced collectors, and accompanies them from the selection to the purchase of art objects around the world. International trips to art fairs can be organized upon request. Currently, Alena accompanies collectors in studying the African art world in Morocco at the 1-54 fair and in Japan.

— Nowadays society is less focused on accumulating material wealth and more focused on experiences, meaning, authenticity, and depth. It's hard to fool this crowd - they have a keen sense of sincerity. Consumers are pleased and attracted by the knowledge that a brand sees and respects each of them as an individual. Therefore, it is important for brands that aim to create an honest and lasting connection with their audience to create a sense of meaningfulness and, while remaining within their values, go beyond commercial interests.
I am happy when I see another bold project, behind which stands an innovator. In our country there are more and more of them. A bright example of the OMK company, how a large business changes the appearance of an entire city and makes it a cultural point. Behind the plant - many art festivals with invited artists, the construction of an industrial street art park with the largest painting in the world, made by the artist Misha Most, an area of more than 10,000 m². The owners of the company also created the Art Residence "Vyksa" - a year-round platform for artists and other cultural figures, where exhibitions and events are held. The appearance of the residence significantly changed the cultural landscape of the city.

— We appeal to feelings, we are interested in combining competencies in art and marketing. It is art that can give people that special experience that they strive for in everything.
An interdisciplinary approach helps us to use art to create a new narrative and change the usual idea of the urban environment, enrich it with meanings and give people more beauty and impressions. Our portfolio includes experience in creating business forums in the field of art from scratch, organizing international exhibitions, art and marketing consulting.

— Installations are suitable for closed spaces such as lobbies, meeting rooms, and airport waiting rooms. For example, modern kinetic sculptures work with air, reflection, and light in such a way that even a small object can change the entire space and fill it with a special atmosphere. Immersive installations are a good solution for the offices of large companies, airports, and places where people have the desire and opportunity to retire for a while and take a break from the hustle and bustle. With the help of forms, sound, and light, we create meditative oases to give visitors a harmonious environment. Dr. Craig Knight, an expert in the field of work environment psychology, head of the Identity Realization Research Group (IDR): “If you enrich a space, people feel much happier and work better. A very good way to do this is to use art.”
Over the past 10 years, many studies have been conducted in Europe and the US to determine the benefits and impact of introducing thoughtful art into the workplace. Companies have shown that this approach stimulates self-expression, helps restore mental energy and reduce stress, creates a positive atmosphere, reinforces the company’s ideals and values, facilitates the creation of new business opportunities and innovations, and strengthens the emotional connection with employees

Of the art objects in international practice, I admire the aesthetic and meditative solution from the French artist Imanuel Monroe, who playfully designed the space of the office lobby.

A daring and non-trivial art object in the hotel sector from the English artist Philip Colbert in Switzerland.

Tell us about your approach to art branding and the art objects you admire. How do you find a balance between artistic value and business goals?

You mentioned examples of art projects in different business areas. What art solutions do you consider most relevant for offices, airports and other closed spaces?

What can you say about the options for art solutions for open spaces: playgrounds, streets, squares?

— For public spaces, playgrounds and places with high traffic, installations that engage in interaction and initiate one of the oldest skills - the ability to play - are suitable. Contact with art also develops and educates people, expands their horizons. There are many realized ideas around the world about how even familiar objects - a playground or a bench - change their appearance in the hands of an artist. For example, Paul Cocksedge turns a familiar bench on the street into a place for rest, meetings, work and simply an object that pleases the eye.These can be interactive light installations, objects that react to movement or sound, changing lighting or shape. Audio-visual installations: a combination of sound and light, creating an immersive experience for visitors. Natural installations using stones, wood to create art objects that fit harmoniously into the landscape. There are many options, everything depends on the tasks of the space, in order to competently fit the meaning into the aesthetics of the area and add depth to it.

— Today, companies are actively seeking to find forms of communication with the millennial generation, for whom new experiences and creativity have become a driving force. We see this in such areas as: automobile, banking, fashion, beauty and others. A trend has formed in the real estate market for the use of art in the urban environment. Art experts help developers reveal the meaning of projects, appealing to the emotions and cultural code of future residents. This direction is most actively developed in New York, London, Berlin and Vienna, where the creation of art objects is included in the budget of any large-scale construction. As a result, the city benefits from increased aesthetic and tourist attractiveness. Businesses that develop the environment and increase the value of their products also benefit. In Russia, the development sector is now actively introducing a cultural agenda into spaces. For example, Hutton Development has long supported the art community and helps build connections between the city and art. The developer considers one of its goals to be the creation of a comfortable visual environment for residents of the metropolis.

Share your vision of the future of art branding. What trends in art and business will influence this area?

Practice shows that large well-known brands do not always have successful art collaborations. How to create a project that will not violate the brand's DNA and will be a winner?

— Creating a successful art collaboration requires careful preparation. It is necessary to clearly define the aim of the collaboration – be it increasing recognition, re-branding or strengthening the image. It is important to analyze the brand, study its values and characteristics, for example, using the Jean-Noël Kapferer prism. Then choose an artist taking into account his work, fame and compatibility of values with the brand concept. It is worth getting to know him and personally talking to him about the fundamental points for you. It is also important not to forget about the benefit for both parties and how the audience will perceive the collaboration. Decide in advance what kind of reaction you want to create: shock, surprise the audience or emphasize conservatism and loyalty to traditions

ILLUMA.

ILLUMA.

Alena Ivanova, the founder of Illuma, director of the Pearl Lam gallery and a graduate of the London Sotheby’s Institute of Culture, knows how to speak the language of art that everyone understands. Her projects, from the exhibition "Zhang Huangya "In the Ashes of History" at the Hermitage to the international art forum "Synergy art forum Moscow", make you think, evoke a whole range of emotions and become events in the art world. In this interview, we will learn how Illuma helps brands find their unique voice with the help of contemporary art and turn it into a powerful tool for increasing recognition and loyalty.

Modern business is unthinkable without art

SITE: ILLUMA.ART

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