Ardak Mukanova is a multimedia designer and researcher specializing in the dynamic intersection of digital and physical domains. An Arts and Design professional with BA and MA degrees in Graphic Design from St Petersburg University, as well as an MFA in Design & Technology from Parsons School of Design | The New School (NYC). Ardak's expertise spans online education, exhibition design, multimedia experiences and a diverse range of collaborative multidisciplinary projects. Currently, she contributes as a designer and researcher at Studio TheGreenEyl (NYC/Berlin) and Sosolimited (Boston/San Diego).


Skills
  • 3D Graphics | Generative AI | Typography | Motion Design
  • Adaptable across diverse creative domains and teams. Fast learner, curious mind.
  • Software: Cinema 4D, Adobe Creative Suite, Unity, Figma, TouchDesigner.
  • Programming: Python, C#, HTML/CSS.
  • XR Proficiency: VR, AR, XR development.
  • Visual Storytelling | Concept Innovation | Prototyping (Digital and Physical)


Resume
Email
LinkedIn
Behance
Instagram
Vimeo
Youtube






Talks and Lectures

Fashion+ Inclusive Articulations and Practices in Design, Communication & Development
Parsons School of Design, School of Fashion
February 2024
New York, NY, USA

Design and Interactive Media
Buketov Karaganda University, Design Department
November 2023
Karaganda, Kazakhstan

Image of Hungary in Kazakhstan
Foundation for Research on Central and Eastern European History and Society 
May 2023
Budapest, Hungary

On Speculative Design
Ernst & Young Design Studio
April 2023
New York, NY, USA

Interaction & Games in Extended Reality
Northeastern University, College of Arts, Media and Design
August 2022 and August 2023
Boston, MA, USA

ECHOES: Design and Technology 2022 Thesis Show, Symposium
Parsons School of Design
May 2022
New York, NY, USA

Games & Immersive Storytelling in XR
InterAccess Gallery and Styly Platform
April 2022
Toronto, Canada

Communication Design and Neurolinguistics
100 Best Design Festival
December 2019
Moscow, Russia

Design and Cultural Heritage
St Petersburg University  
September 2018
St Petersburg, Russia

Contours of the Future: Technologies and Innovations in a Cultural Context
St Petersburg Polytechnic University  
November 2017
St Petersburg, Russia



Awards and exhibitions 

MIT Reality Hack
XR hackathon VR/AR@MIT
Boston, MA, USA
January 2024

Hungarian Fellowship from Foundation for Research on Central and Eastern European History and Society
Research and Exhibition
Budapest, Hungary
May 2023

Art Growth Exhibition
16th Hangzhou Cultural and Creative Industry Expo
Hangzhou, China
January 2023

NEWVIEW AWARDS 2022
Finalist for the Ultra Stage Prize | NEWVIEW and Styly
Tokyo, Japan
December 2022

Demo Festival
Studio Dumbar/DEPT®
Amsterdam, Netherlands
October 2022

Umit Program
Tselinny Center for Contemporary Art
Almaty, Kazakhstan
June 2022

NEWVIEW AWARDS 2021
The Gold Winner in Virtual Reality "Post-Reality and No-Normal" | NEWVIEW and Styly
Tokyo, Japan
January 2022

Supernova Digital Animation Festival
Denver Digerati
Denver, CO, USA
September 2021

100 Best Design Festival
Moscow, Russia 
December 2019

Bolashak International Scholarship
JSC Center for International Programs
Astana, Kazakhstan
August 2019

Golden Bee 
Winner of the 13th International Biennale of Graphic Design
Moscow, Russia
October 2018

Art Asia International Art Exhibition
Seoul, South Korea
October 2018

Golden Bee Exhibition 
Vilnius, Lithuania 2017

III International Assembly of Animation
Winner
St Petersburg 2017

“Reunion” Exhibition
St Petersburg 2017

Golden Bee 
12th International Biennale of Graphic Design
Moscow 2016

Calligraphy Exhibition
Moscow 2016

“Objectiveness” Photography Competition
Moscow 2016

“Modulor” Art Exhibition
St Petersburg 2015

Exhibition for the Faculty of Arts of 290 years of SPBU
St Petersburg 2015

International Calligraphy Exhibition
Moscow 2015

Education

Parsons School of Design — The New School
MFA Design and Technology
2020-2022
New York, NY, USA

St Petersburg University
MA Graphic Design
2017-2019
St Petersburg, Russia

Sophia University
MA Exchange Program
2018
Tokyo, Japan

St Petersburg University
BA Graphic Design
2013-2017
St Petersburg, Russia

Stony Brook University
BA Exchange Program
2015
Stony Brook, NY, USA



Work Experience

Sosolimited
Digital Designer
July 2024 — Present

Studio TheGreenEyl
Designer and Researcher
June 2022 — Present

Karaganda Buketov University
Senior Designer | Online Courses Production
November 2022 — Present

Parsons School of Design, School of Fashion
Graphic Designer and Researcher
November 2021 — May 2023

St Petersburg University
Graphic and Motion Designer
September 2017 — August 2022

Qazaqstan Television Broadcaster
Graphic and Motion Designer
November 2019 — September 2020

Khabar Agency JSC
Brand Designer
December 2019 — August 2020

16bit.inc
Motion Designer
April — August 2018

DESIS Lab La Sapienza University
Designer and Researcher
Autumn 2017

Reason Studios
Web Designer Intern
Summer 2015

© 2024 Ardak Mukanova