NUR
Annual independent International Media Art Festival – 2021-2024. The name of the annual multiformat event organized by the formate studio stands for “New Unique Reality.” One of its objectives is to work carefully with the architecture of Kazan. During the festival, multimedia art creates new meanings for familiar places, while places that are less popular among tourists and locals regain attention. Since 2021, NUR has been bringing together creative industries representatives from all over the world and is currently one of the largest festivals in Russia. Besides installations, the program includes audiovisual performances, digital art exhibitions, and educational events.
Fragments
Installation in the Consistory Tower of the Kazan Kremlin – 2024. The multimedia technologies have made the landmarked building a temporary storage space for pieces of human memory. The neural network helped the artists of the formate studio visualize the ideas. This tool was chosen for good reason: the generated elements are not the same as real images despite their strong resemblance; however, they can bring the past to life vividly. The installation made the memories tangible and brought up the viewers’ forgotten emotions, allowing them to reexperience the past.
Reality Tunnel
Installation in a closed gallery under the main pedestrian street of Kazan – 2022. The term “reality tunnel” was introduced by American psychologist Timothy Leary to describe an individual's perception of the world through the prism of mental filters formed by a person's beliefs and life experience. The eponymous installation by formate was an underground multimedia complex, where sound and light interacted with the viewers' sensations at the subconscious level. Unique visual effects from pixel-controlled LED bars and moving headlights were complemented by synchronized 3D sound, which enhanced the overall perception and deepened the immersion in the installation.
BOZ
Installation under the dome of the Kazan Circus – 2023. The name of the installation created by formate means “ice” in Tatar. The light refracted in the system of mirrors formed a special pattern, resembling cracks. The play of light and reflections took viewers into a world where all elements interact with each other, creating a sense of icy beauty and fragility.
Tamchy
Installation in the Tainitskaya Tower of the Kazan Kremlin – 2023. The Tainitskaya Tower was named after the secret (“tainyi” in Russian) passage to the spring from which the defenders of the Kazan Kremlin drew drinking water when the fortress was besieged. The installation by formate uses this fact to symbolize the resilience of the people who survived the harsh conditions. The feeling of calm and harmony was created by luminous kinetic spherical drops (“tamchy” in Tatar), and the meditative soundtrack conveyed the atmosphere of the tower in different seasons, increasing the effect of immersion.
