Denis Semionov

Denis Semionov (Денис Игоревич Семенов, Denis Igorevich Semenov; born 29 September 1985) - is a Russian new media artist.

Biography
Denis Semionov was born in 1985 in Moscow. His great grandfather, a Russian-Finnish artist and sculptor Leonid Kuzmin, immigrated from USSR to Finland in 1920. In 1953 the family repatriated to the USSR. In 2002 Semionov graduated from the courses of Stroganov Moscow State Academy of Arts and Industry, in 2007 – art and graphic faculty of Moscow State Pedagogical University, in 2010 - post graduate studies. At the university he worked as an illustrator and designer. After graduating - as a creative director of a new media studio "Great Gonzo Studio".

Projects
Semionov generally uses virtual art and artificial intelligence art. In 2017 his VR art project “Between Petrov and Vodkin” about Russian avant-garde was demonstrated at Marché du Film and bought by several studios for distribution. In 2018 he won grand-prix at Open Frame Award of international film festival goEast for his VR cinematographic project “The Nominal Empire”, which was drawn in virtual reality in Oculus Quill. The interactive project combined virtual reality and biomechanics of Vsevolod Meyerhold. In 2019 Denis Semionov became one of five artists who created art pieces during WorldSkills 2019 opening on the 45 000 stadium Kazan arena in collaboration with a speaker Pranav Mistry and a singer Yolka. The project “Lessons of Auschwitz”, where Denis Semionov became an artist and a director, was made with Volumetric video, Tilt Brush and the music of the theremin, created by a musician Peter Theremin. The immersive story, devoted to 75th anniversary of Liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp, won such awards as Webby Award 2020, Red Dot and was shortlisted in Vancouver International Film Festival in the section Immersed Volumetric XR Market. The XR theatre performance "Flame", featured a dancer Samantha Alcon, was premiered at the festival NewImages by Forum des images in Paris and was selected for the immersive section of Raindance Film Festival. The collaboration with Jean-Michel Jarre for the New Year 2021 concert "Welcome to the Other Side", which got 75 million viewers online and in VR, featured illustrative Notre-Dame de Paris, made in Oculus Quill. From 2023 Denis is a member of International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Semionov collaborated with such musicians and performers as Jean-Michel Jarre, Deborah Frances-White, institutions - Venice Biennale, Institut Français, Arts Council England, Deutsches Filminstitut, Forum des Images, Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center, brands – Leica, Samsung, Estée Lauder, Absolut

Awards

 * 2023 Webby Award - Metaverse, Immersive & Virtual - Best VR Headset Experience - Nomination
 * 2022 International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam-ONX+DocLab MoCap Stage
 * 2021 Emmy Awards - Outstanding Interactive Media: Documentary - Nomination
 * 2021 The Drum Awards - Technical Innovation of the Year
 * 2021 Shorty Awards - Animations - Winner
 * 2021 Promax Awards - Best use of Technology - Silver
 * 2021 Webby Award - Virtual & Remote (Best Narrative Experience 2021) - Honoree
 * 2021 Webby Award - Virtual & Remote (Best Performance 2021, Music 2021) - Honoree
 * 2021 Clio Awards - Bronze - Film Craft (music original)
 * 2021 Los Angeles Film Awards (LAFA) - Gold - Best Virtual Reality
 * 2020 Lovie Awards - Gold - Best Narrative Experience
 * 2020 Webby Award - People`s Voice Winner (News (Immersive and Mixed reality), Volumetric/6 degrees of freedom)
 * 2020 Red Dot - Best of the Best, Red Dot ("Lessons of Auschwitz")
 * 2020 Shorty Awards - Winner in Facebook Video, Virtual Reality, Branded Content, Finalist in Storytelling, Long Form Video, Education, Audience Honor in Storytelling, Long Form Video, Virtual Reality, Branded Content
 * 2020 Epica Awards - Silver - Media
 * 2020 Creative Pool - Bronze - Post Production, Silver - Application, Bronze - Branded Content, Silver - Publishing, Bronze - Photography
 * 2019 Creative Pool - Bronze - Post Production
 * 2019 New York Festivals - Bronze - Video Art and Experimental film (Short Film)
 * 2018 GoEast Open Frame Award - Grand Prix as the best VR Experience
 * 2018 Epica Awards - Silver - Digital

Festivals

 * 2023 Immersive Tech Week
 * 2023 South by Southwest
 * 2022 Cyber attack: Digital art and activism
 * 2022 Portland Film Festival - Official selection at Animation short
 * 2022 Raindance Immersive - Nomination as Best Immersive Experience, Best Immersive Experience for Social Impact, Discovery Award: Best Debut
 * 2021 Raindance Immersive - Nomination as Best Multiplayer Experience
 * 2021 Venice Film Festival - Venice Gap-Financing Market participant
 * 2021 New Images Film Festival by Forum des images - Out of competition
 * 2021 South by Southwest
 * 2020 New Images Film Festival by Forum des images - Nomination in XR competition
 * 2020 Raindance Immersive - Nomination as Best Multiplayer Experience
 * 2020 New Images Film Festival by Forum des images - Performance of the opening
 * 2020 Venice Film Festival - VR illustration for Venice VR Expanded
 * 2020 Vancouver International Film Festival - Immersed Volumetric XR Market
 * 2019 SXSW Edu - Participant
 * 2019 NUFF 2019 - SEEK - Participant
 * 2018 Cannes Film Festival (Marche du film) - Participant
 * 2017 Moscow International Film Festival - Participant
 * 2017 Berlin International Film Festival - Participant
 * 2017 MIPTV Media Market - Participant
 * 2017 Cannes Film Festival (Marche du film) - Participant

Public speaking and performances

 * Stereopsia Europe
 * Open Innovations
 * 45th WorldSkills, Kazan, Russia
 * TEDxYakimankaSalon «Art+Tech», (speakers: Denis Semionov, Olga Sviblova), Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center, Moscow, Russia
 * Condé Nast Digital Day (NG), Moscow, Russia