There is a perception that digital and physical art occupy two distinct and separate spaces.
Intersection
For strata the digital and physical are not at odds: they elevate each other. We explore the creative intersection between these two areas and want to change how art, artists and audiences interact and collaborate.
the gallery
strata was created in response to the antagonisms between the physical and digital art worlds. We believe they do not exist in opposition to each other and see the creative potential in moments when they converge. In 2021, we decided to initiate strata to support creation of the best new artworks that do what art has always done: give us an idiosyncratic view of the world, engage our senses, and express beauty and humanity. Without divisions.
We are interested in answering two questions: can physical and digital art interact in a mutually enriching way? And how can this relationship move beyond solutionism and best help artists and audiences to promote collaboration and connection? We prioritise design and initiatives that place community over competition and which evolve over time, providing long-term value and utility for artists, owners and supporters.
CTS
strata is a creative organisation supporting pioneering artists with digital technologies through its Gallery and Creative Technology Studio (CTS). Our specialist team collaborates with artists to bridge the physical and digital worlds and create unique experiences for worldwide audiences. We champion network support between artists, audiences, collectors and communities
strata Gallery presents an exciting selection of contemporary art at the intersection of the physical and digital realms. Our curatorial team challenges the established norms of exhibiting, pushing the boundaries of what is possible even further. We use our networks to connect artists and collectors and Blockchain technology to bridge the traditional and digital art markets.
strata CTS creates new opportunities for innovation across the creative economy. We are a production company which prioritises ideas and concepts over technical abilities and provides artist support to produce work that is ambitious and high-quality. strata’s goal is to lower the access barriers for artists who want to father but do not have the necessary technical skills.
Currently, strata exists virtually first and has a small international team based between Tokyo, London and New York.
the team
Meet the people who make strata! We share passion for creativity and supporting excellent artists. Our team consists of expert individuals from diverse backgrounds including art, technology, software development, business and marketing. We use our skills to challenge the idea of what “contemporary art” can be.
Sven Palys
Co-Founder
Sven arrived in Japan in 2011 on a government scholarship to study Japanese media history at the University of Tokyo. He has since worked as director at an cultural intelligence agency, headed up the global accounts at a Japanese advertising agency, before finally establishing Yuzu Kyodai.
Under his leadership, Yuzu Kyodai has grown into a network of 3 offices between Tokyo, Shanghai, and Singapore. From creating new business models for Godiva to repositioning Facebook and Google, Yuzu Kyodai has worked with the world's largest global brands to develop their Asian strategies.
As one of the founders of strata, Sven has been leading the strategy and partnerships.
Sven grew up in the Middle East and is fluent in English, German, and Japanese.
Jasper Degens
Co-Founder
Jasper has worked as a developer across many industries and found his calling at the intersection of art and technology.
After graduating with a computer science degree from Tufts University in 2014, he worked for two years as a project consultant for an IP and royalty software company in London. During his time in London, Jasper also facilitated courses on programming basics, data oriented thinking, and cybersecurity with Decoded, an education company that helps bridge communication between technical and non-technical teams. In 2016, Decoded opened an office in Sydney, and Jasper joined for the early stage to help establish an APAC presence.
Jasper’s core motivation is to inspire creativity through technology, and working in the APAC region led him to teamLab, an art collective in Tokyo. Over the past 5 years, Jasper worked as an interactive engineer to redefine how audiences experience and co-create digital art. He led the development, digital effects, system design, and installation of artworks for museums, public spaces, and live performances around the globe.
Jasper co-founded strata to continue exploring new ways to experience art, create art, and connect audiences, artists, and artworks through technology.
Emiliano Liviero
Co-Founder
Emiliano Liviero is a Tokyo-based Marketing Executive, currently Director at Yuzu Kyodai, a leader in the strategy and semiotics consulting space. Fluent in Spanish, English and Japanese, Emiliano is a modern-day global citizen, firmly entrenched in both the business and the art world.
At Yuzu Kyodai, Emiliano oversees a multidisciplinary team of professionals that deliver consumer insights, semiotics, cultural understandings and innovation management for the Japanese market to an international clientele.
Emiliano is also an art world insider as both collector and curator. His collection of Japanese art spans a 15 year period and was heavily influenced by the works of Takashi Murakami and Aida Makoto.
Emiliano is the Artistic Director at strata and has played a key role in onboarding artists Hector Falcon and Elisa Insua as strata’s maiden projects.
Barak Chamo
Co-Founder
Barak is a New Media artist, creative technologist and educator. Following an early career in software engineering, leading web and mobile development teams, he decided to pursue a creative career and attended New York University's ITP, a renowned art & technology program.
He has since worked on large-scale interactive installations and digital experiences for some of the world's largest experiential studios including teamLab, Rockwell Architecture and Illuminarium.
His own work in media and digital art has been shown in festivals and museums around the world including the Richmond Museum of Fine Arts, Ravenna Museum of Art, Museum of the Moving Image and Currents New Media.
Alongside his creative practice he is a member of faculty at New York University and School of Visual Arts where he teaches graduate interaction design and digital art courses.
As one of the founders of strata, Barak is committed to continue pushing the boundaries of digital art and focuses on exploring the creative possibilities of emerging technology.
Maria Cynkier
Marketing & Communications
Maria Cynkier is a contemporary art curator and communications manager. She has supported art organisations with digital marketing, strategy development & planning, community management, copywriting, content creation, as well as brand and website design.
Her curatorial practice bridges the fields of art, ecology and digital culture. In her work, she is concerned with the social, political and material impacts of new technologies on humans, non-humans and the environment.
She has worked with Call For Curators, NN Contemporary Art, ArtMag UK, Maxim Gorki Theatre, Hyperallergic, Furtherfield, The Wrong Biennale, Tate Modern, MoCDA (the Museum of Contemporary Digital Art) and SuperRare. Maria is a graduate of the MA in Curating Contemporary Art at the Royal College of Art, London.
Linus Lim
Creative Director
Linus helps brands create effective, innovative, and beautiful experiences. Leaning on 8 years of creative agency and big tech experience, he has led creative campaigns and projects for 6 of the Top 10 most valuable global brands as Senior Director at Amazon Ads' Brand Innovation Lab.
His interest in the frontiers of creativity and technology brought him to study and explore cryptocurrencies and NFTs. Starting as a hobbyist collector, he has since helped launch a handful of NFT art projects and now sits on a panel of NFT art judges at NFTJPN.
Linus grew up in Singapore and has spent over 10 years in Tokyo. Fluent in English, Japanese, and Chinese, Linus brings with him not just a wealth of ideas and strategies, but also the ability and network to effectively put those ideas in front of the right people at the right time.
