Ellipse Space aims to elevate the value and perception of art, fostering a new open digital future. Join us as we delve into Ellipse's journey, their vision for the future, and their quest to redefine the world of tomorrow.

Greetings Ellipse Space Can you please share with us how the studio came about? What is the inspiration behind it?

Hello. Ellipse Space is a virtual gallery created by our hybrid multidisciplinary studio: Ellipse.
Founded by Vasilis Marlantis, Alex Muresan and Victor Maru Kumar, Ellipse’s philosophy is to connect the dots that usually remain isolated. Our studio exists at the crossroads of different disciplines and industries: digital, physical, art, tech, fashion, music, design, film and more. We wanted to create a space for all of that, for us and our friends, a space where we can invite and feature everyone, whatever they do. That is Ellipse Space, something in between a gallery and a big living room, but digital.

Aesthetically, the inspiration includes references to video games, museums, Eastern European playgrounds and fashion retail spaces. The idea was to mix various digital and physical elements which are culturally relevant for the team and people who will visit the space.

One of the objectives of Ellipse Space is to reshape the way art is consumed.

How do you think the consumption of art through social media affects the value and perception of it?

It is mainly due to the banality with which we started treating social media like Instagram. We will casually open an app on a 5-inch screen device, swipe through a few stories without paying incredible attention and we might blink and miss the work of a lifetime of an artist. The context in which we share and consume art may have become more democratic but it has also become an attention vacuum. So when you are scrolling and swiping through social media, are you really looking at art or are you scratching a dopamine itch?

Not only that, but social media privileges art that takes whatever attention-grabbing format is currently working best on whatever platform. A sculpture is a short video of a sculpture, a painting is a short video of a painting with a viral song in the background. In this case, are you consuming art or content featuring art?

With Ellipse Space, we are trying to keep most of the ease of use and accessibility of modern social media platforms but build a context that puts the spotlight on the art instead of banalising it.

Why is it important for Ellipse space to contribute to the creation of a new open digital future?

It is already inevitable to live without interacting with the digital world every day. In the near future, as new ways to interact with and through the digital world will emerge and spread to more and more people (see the new Apple XR headset), the digital future will just be the future. Therefore, asking this question, to us, is almost like asking why it is important for Ellipse to contribute to an open and accessible city. It is the right thing to do. As things move forward, it is important for us to contribute to an open future that leaves no one behind.

Currently we are on the cusp of industries and artists using digital galleries and spaces. What do you think is needed to speed up this adaptation?

Most digital experiences are difficult to access. They require accounts, apps, good computers or VR or AR headsets. What is needed is to look at what we already have and work with that. Start small, make sure a 3D space works flawlessly on an average smartphone with an average internet connection and then go slowly bigger. 4K resolution is not needed for a meaningful experience, it’s a plus. Embrace current tools and ease of use and adoption will speed up.

Another thing related to this that we think is crucial is Raymond Loewy’s (Coca-Cola bottle & USPS logo designer) MAYA principle. MAYA stands for “Most Advanced Yet Acceptable”. Make things MAYA and the majority will adopt digital spaces quicker.

What's the most rewarding project Ellipse has worked on?

On a personal and emotional level, Ellipse Space is most probably the most rewarding project we have worked on. Having a team of more than 10 people in more than 5 countries, collaborating remotely with another 10+ artists, Ellipse Space is a summary of what Ellipse can create and how we operate: a tech and creative project that took more than 6 months to complete built from scratch.

Do you have any upcoming exhibitions or events in Ellipse Space?

There are some ideas on the table, but nothing is fully decided yet. However, the next exhibition should open in a few months. In general, there will be 13 configurations of the space, “1+12” was the first one. In the future, Ellipse Space would like to host more artists and projects that cleverly connect the digital and physical world. We are excited to bring in more people to curate it, change it, modify it, to add or remove modules.

How do you envision the future of Ellipse and Interakt studio?

Interakt is our new division specializing on 3D design and digital realities, it operates as part of Ellipse but allows us to create higher quality content in those realms by having a team focusing on those areas particularly.

With Ellipse, we want to keep working on projects bringing together tech and creativity, without losing touch with the real world. There are also a few personal creative projects from members of the Ellipse team coming out this year in the realms of film, photography and AI. Also, despite loving the digital realm, a couple of real life events might see the light of day. We’re excited to keep doing what we’re doing and prove to people that a network of driven and curious people like Ellipse can have an impact and create meaningful things. New age, new era, (re)thinking, (re)building, (re)creating in order to (re)define the world of tomorrow.