# Ilya Balakin > Show Director, Set Designer, Art Director. Twenty years of turning light, space and technology into experiences — from intimate installations to large-scale launches and stage shows. Show director, set designer and art director working across scales and techniques — projection mapping, LED architecture, kinetics, lasers, real-time graphics and XR. Always striving to fuse new technologies with classical arts. Thirteen years in lead positions, creating work for Audi, Lexus, Lamborghini, Nissan, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, and for artists such as Billie Eilish with Moment Factory. Contact: Ilyabalakin86@gmail.com. [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ilyabalakin/), [Behance](https://www.behance.net/Ilya_Balakin), [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/ilya.balakin), [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilya-balakin-34549a85/). Website: https://ilyabalakin.com/ ## Selected work - [IN TO](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/in-to): Installation, 2021, role: Creative & Art Director, with Sila Sveta. IN TO — an immersive interactive installation by Sila Sveta, first shown at the Prosvet festival in Perm in December 2020, then in 2021 at the TSEH* art space in Nizhny Novgorod and in Milan. - [Lexus Dome](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/lexus-dome): Installation, 2017, role: Creative & Art Director, with Sila Sveta, ACTION, client: Lexus. Lexus Dome — a public space in Moscow City, opened in June 2017 for the launch of the Lexus LC 500, with a route of interactive installations by Sila Sveta for Action agency and Dentsu Aegis Network. - [Mirrors](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/mirrors): Installation, 2021, role: Creative Director, with Sila Sveta. Mirror — an interactive installation by Sila Sveta with projection and live tracking, first shown at the Intervals festival in Nizhny Novgorod in August 2021. - [Billie Eilish](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/billie-eilish): XR, 2020, role: Creative & Art Director, with Sila Sveta, MOMENT FACTORY. Content for Billie Eilish’s online concert in 2020, a live show staged in XR, extended reality. Moment Factory directed it and invited Sila Sveta to create visuals for some of Billie’s signature songs. - [Nissan Formula E](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/nissan-formula-e): Installation, 2020, role: Creative & Art Director, with Sila Sveta, ACTIVATION GROUP. A Formula E driving experience for the new Nissan Pavilion in Yokohama, made in 2020 with Activation Group as part of the celebration of the Tokyo Olympic Games. - [Audi A7](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/audi-a7): Launch, 2019, role: Creative & Art Director, with Sila Sveta. The world premiere of the new Audi A7 at the brand’s headquarters in Ingolstadt. Sila Sveta’s concept placed a 25-metre projection dome on the roof of the new Audi Design Center. - [Audi Brand Summit](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/audi-brand-summit): Launch, 2018, role: Creative & Art Director, with Sila Sveta, ACTIVATION GROUP. Four shows for the second Audi Brand Summit in Shenzhen in June 2018 — the opening, Aicon, e-tron and the world premiere of the Audi Q8 — made by Sila Sveta for Activation Group. - [Lamborghini Huracán EVO](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/lamborghini-huracan-evo): Launch, 2019, role: Creative Director, with Sila Sveta. A multimedia show for the 2019 European premiere of the Lamborghini Huracán EVO — first at Cition Hall in Moscow, then in Berlin, London and Milan. It was Sila Sveta’s second commission from Lamborghini, after the Urus. - [Alivia and the Dark Evil](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/alivia-and-the-dark-evil): Special project, 2019, role: Creative Show Director, with Sila Sveta. Alivia and the Dark Evil — a 25-minute immersive show for the Trans Studio Cibubur theme park in Indonesia, premiered in summer 2019 and Sila Sveta’s biggest project at the time. - [SF Motors](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/sf-motors): Launch, 2018, role: Creative & Art Director, with Sila Sveta. The global launch of SF Motors’ electric cars in Silicon Valley in March 2018. Sila Sveta developed the whole concept: the venue design, the bar zone, the show for the presentation and the main reveal. - [Milkinside CGI](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/milkinside-cgi): CGI, 2020, role: Art Director. Milkinside CGI — a CGI poem made in 2020 for Milkinside, the design studio led by Gleb Kuznetsov, as a statement of the studio’s own language. - [Machine Learning Solutions](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/mls): CGI, 2021, role: Art Director. Brand visuals for Machine Learning Solutions, made at Milkinside in 2021. - [DSIRF](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/dsirf): CGI, 2021, role: Art Director. A brand film for DSIRF about innovation in encryption technology, made at Milkinside in 2021. - [NEON](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/neon): CGI, 2021, role: Art Director. A CGI dream sequence for the launch of NEON at CES, the consumer electronics show in Las Vegas, made at Milkinside. - [Audi A5](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/audi-a5): Launch, 2018, role: Creative & Art Director, with Sila Sveta. The Moscow premiere of the new Audi A5 Coupé, staged by Sila Sveta — the world’s first car launch built on real-time motion tracking, where the car ran its own show. - [Loneliness](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/loneliness): Special project, 2018, role: Art Director, with Sila Sveta. Loneliness — a three-minute light show by Sila Sveta, inspired by Joseph Brodsky’s poem of the same name. It won the Jury’s Choice award at Borealis 2018, the first US competition of tech and light art. - [Metaverse](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/metaverse): CGI, 2020, role: Art Director, with Sila Sveta. Augmented Vision — a short CG piece made with Sila Sveta in 2020 about the point where the physical and the virtual meet in personal space. - [LayerSS](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/layerss): AR, 2020, role: Creative Director, with Sila Sveta. LayerSS — a new layer of reality for the Mutabor club, opened through an AR app by Sila Sveta in early 2020. - [Alcatel Idol 4](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/alcatel-idol-4): Launch, 2016, role: Art Director, with Sila Sveta, DEPARTAMENT. A media performance for the Russian premiere of the Alcatel Idol 4 smartphone, presented live in Moscow on 2 June 2016. - [ZERO GRAVITY](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/zero-gravity): Launch, 2014, role: Art Director, with Sila Sveta, LOUDER. Zero Gravity — an experimental kinetic installation by Sila Sveta and Louder agency, with a full-size car model hovering in the air. - [Porsche Macan](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/porsche-macan): Launch, 2014, role: Art Director, with Sila Sveta. A dynamic performance for the Russian premiere of the Porsche Macan at the Barvikha Concert Hall in Moscow in April 2014, on a concept by Louder agency. - [Trade X](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/trade-x): CGI, 2019, role: Art Director. Branding CGI for Trade X, an automotive trading platform, produced in 2019 by Gleb Kuznetsov. - [Mayakovsky](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/mayakovsky): Public event, 2015, role: Art Director, with Sila Sveta. Mayakovsky — a light show on the Central Pavilion of VDNKh, Grand Prix of the Art Vision Modern competition at the Circle of Light festival in Moscow, 2015. - [BMW X4 China](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/bmw-x4-china): Launch, 2014, role: Art Director, with Sila Sveta. The Chinese launch of the BMW X4 at the Long Museum in Shanghai on 29 July 2014, with a projection show and presentation by Sila Sveta. - [ASUS ZenFone 4](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/asus-zenfone-4): Launch, 2017, role: Art Director, with Sila Sveta. #WELOVEPHOTO — a media performance by Sila Sveta for the world premiere of the ASUS ZenFone 4 in 2017, shown at brand events across several continents. - [Audi A4 Space](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/audi-a4-space): Launch, 2016, role: Art Director, with Sila Sveta, DEPARTAMENT. Audi A4 Space — an interactive driving experience for the Russian launch of the Audi A4, made with Departament agency in early 2016. - [Pygmalion](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/pygmalion): Special project, 2016, role: Art Director, with Sila Sveta. Pygmalion — a multimedia performance by Sila Sveta for the second round of America’s Got Talent, aired on NBC on 29 July 2016. - [The new MINI](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/the-new-mini): Launch, 2014, role: Art Director, with Sila Sveta, DEPARTAMENT. The Moscow launch of the new MINI on 19 March 2014, staged by Event Departament as a wild mix of choreography, interactive technology, light, sound and special effects. - [Arma Faces](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/arma-faces): Launch, 2014, role: Art Director, with Sila Sveta, LOUDER. Arma Faces — a multimedia show for the closing party of Arma17, a legendary Moscow nightclub, on 26 April 2014, made with Louder agency. - [ASUS #Z3NVOLUTION](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/asus-z3nvolution): Launch, 2016, role: Concept Artist, with Sila Sveta, LOUDER. #Z3NVOLUTION — a multimedia performance for the ASUS ZenFone 3 launches in India and Brazil in 2016, Sila Sveta’s first work in both countries. - [Mercedes Benz S-Class](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/mercedes-benz-s-class): Launch, 2013, role: Concept Artist, with Sila Sveta, WE CAN GROUP. The Russian premiere of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class W222 at Gostiny Dvor in Moscow on 28 July 2013, staged by We Can Group with a live symphony orchestra. - [Rapping Mapping](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/rapping-mapping): Public event, 2013, role: Concept Artist, with Sila Sveta, client: CIRCLE OF LIGHT. Rapping Mapping — a projection show by Sila Sveta and the rapper Basta for the Circle of Light festival in Moscow, 4–8 October 2013. - [Night](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/night): Public event, 2013, role: Concept Artist, with Sila Sveta, client: Signal Festival. Night — a projection mapping show by Sila Sveta for the Signal Festival, the festival of light in Prague, 17–21 October 2013, on an idea by Denis Bashev and Alexander Us. - [BMW X5 Russian Launch](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/bmw-x5-russian-launch): Launch, 2013, role: Concept Artist, with Sila Sveta, Louder Agency. The Moscow launch of the BMW X5 F15 on 15–16 November 2013, organised by Louder agency, with a projection show by Sila Sveta. - [Volvo S90](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/volvo-s90): Launch, 2018, role: Concept Artist, with Avocado Toast. A performance for the launch of the Volvo S90 in 2018, made with Avocado Toast agency. - [Techno Organ](https://ilyabalakin.com/projects/techno-organ): Launch, 2013, role: Concept Artist, with Sila Sveta. Techno Organ — a projection mapping show for the fifth anniversary of the Arma17 club in Moscow, 13 April 2013. ## R&D - [Setups](https://ilyabalakin.com/setups): 115 pictures — setups, concept art and process from the shows. - [Concepts](https://ilyabalakin.com/concepts): 72 pictures — setups, concept art and process from the shows. - [Process](https://ilyabalakin.com/process): 86 pictures — setups, concept art and process from the shows. ## Portfolio in PDF - [Portfolio](https://ilyabalakin.com/decks/Ilya_Balakin_Portfolio.pdf): All projects — 39 slides, a project to a slide with a link to its film. - [Stage & installations](https://ilyabalakin.com/decks/Ilya_Balakin_Stage_Design_and_Installations.pdf): Stage design, installations — 25 slides, a project to a slide with a link to its film. - [Art & show direction](https://ilyabalakin.com/decks/Ilya_Balakin_Art_and_Show_Direction.pdf): Shows, CGI, XR — 17 slides, a project to a slide with a link to its film. ## Awards - Hermes Platinum Award — Lexus Dome / Lamborghini Urus - Eventex Bronze — People’s Choice Experience — IN TO (Prosvet) - AutoVision Award — Nissan Formula E - Best Immersive Experience — Lexus Dome - Prize of the Jury, Festival Sveta «Borealis» — Loneliness - Best Projection Mapping Supplier — Loneliness - AutoVision Grand Prix in Interactive & Multimedia — Lamborghini Urus - Best Use of Technology at a Brand Event — Lamborghini Urus - Autovision Gold Winner & Grand Prix — Audi A5: AI vs YOU - Best Technical Innovation — Audi A5: AI vs YOU - Best Technology Partnership — Audi A5: AI vs YOU - Launch of the Year — Audi A5: AI vs YOU - Autovision Silver Winner — BMW 7 Series Launch - Car Launch of the Year — Audi A4 Space - B2C Event of the Year — Porsche Night - Grand Opening of the Year — Porsche Sportcar Center - Grand Prix Event of the Year — Porsche Sportcar Center - Best Live Event of the Year — Mercedes-Benz E-Class China Launch - Automotive Event of the Year — Mercedes-Benz S-Class Launch - Brand Event of the Year — Porsche Macan - Best Event Creative Idea — MINI Brainwash Party - Gold Puzzle — Best Special Effects Contractor - Grand Prix — Circle of Light International Festival, Moscow ## Optional - [Full texts and credits of every project](https://ilyabalakin.com/llms-full.txt)