During the Soviet Union, the Georgian town of Tskaltubo was a popular health destination famed for its therapeutic water and luxurious sanatoriums.
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Between the 1940’s to 1980’s thousands of people visited each year, including high-ranking officials from Moscow.
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The town was renowned for its therapeutic radon-carbonate mineral spring water believed to treat an array of ailments.
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When the Soviet Union collapsed, the buildings were deserted and fell into disrepair. Floors were ripped up for firewood, and the metal salvaged as scrap.
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Since the early 90's, the buildings have been slowly dismantled and stripped of their valuable materials, leaving empty shells of what were once grandiose classical structures.
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Koopmans visited this region over several years, exploring the ruins and photographing these spaces that have undergone dramatic transition.
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In collaboration with Alice Wexell, upon returning they digitally introduced vegetation, manipulated the lighting, modified the structures, and animated the scenes with the intention of reviving the empty spaces, essentially bringing life back into the rooms.
With these pieces, Koopmans and Wexell aim to bring the viewer into an alternate place and time.
The artwork has garnered global recognition, finding its place in exhibitions and collections around the world, including prominent digital art funds and private collectors.
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Historical Overview
During the Soviet Union, the Georgian town of Tskaltubo was a popular health destination famed for its therapeutic water and luxurious sanatoriums.
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Between the 1940’s to 1980’s thousands of people visited each year, including Stalin and his high-ranking officials from Moscow.
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The town was renowned for its therapeutic radon-carbonate mineral spring water believed to treat an array of ailments.
When the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s, the buildings were deserted and began to fall into disrepair.
In 1992 a war in the nearby region Abkhazia broke out.
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Displaced Georgians fled from the conflict and were given temporary shelter in Tskaltubo's unoccupied buildings.
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Thirty years later, certain families still inhabit these architectural ruins, enduring squalid conditions and limited amenities.
The Concept of Growth & Decay
Since the early 90's, the buildings have been slowly dismantled and stripped of their valuable materials, leaving empty shells of what were once grandiose classical structures.
Floors were ripped up for firewood, and the metal salvaged as scrap.
The architectural deconstruction and decay persist, while nature gradually engulfs these human-made structures.
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Witnessing this natural resurgence inspired us to accentuate the concept, creatively incorporating animated foliage and light into the interior photographs that we captured.
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This fusing of fact and fiction illuminated the dichotomies of nature/architecture, physical/digital, and growth/decay, and gave birth to the first artworks of The Wild Within.
A fern emerges from the floor.
Soviet-era postcards found in the ruins.
International Exposure
Artworks from The Wild Within reside in esteemed private collections across the globe and have graced various galleries and platforms through exhibitions and editorial features.
Exhibitions
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2024 - London, UK - Christie's Post War & Contemporary Art Day Sale Exhibition
2024 - Miami, USA - The Bitcoin Art Awards: First Prize - Genesis Project of the Year
2024 - Miami, USA - SCOPE Miami during Art Basel presented by White Walls Gallery
2024 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Enter Art Fair
2024 - Marfa, Texas - The Wild Within presented by White Walls Gallery
2024 - Durres, Albania - First International Biennale of Contemporary Art
2024 - Montreal, Canada - The Wild Within presented by Suburbs Gallery
​2024 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Enter Art Fair
2024 - London, UK - Photo London with Leila Heller Gallery
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​2024 - Nashville, USA - The BitGala at Bitcoin Nashville 2024
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​2024 - Nashville, USA - Inscribing Atlantis Exhibition
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​2024 - London, UK - Ideaworks Studio with Digital Art Week London
​2024 - Paris, France - Metaversal x Lumen Prize, The Future of Art
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​2024 - Belgium - Public display on 760 screens nationwide by Clear Channel x Artcrush Gallery
​2024 - Paris, France - SuperRare Showcase at IHAM Gallery
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2024 - Reggio Emilia, Italy - Cabinets of Ether
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2023 - Miami, USA - Faena Forum at Art Basel Miami Beach presented by Christie's New York
2023 - Dubai, UAE - Christie's Art Auction House and Exhibition Space
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2023 - Dubai, UAE - Luxeverse at Museum of The Future​
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2023 - Zug, Switzerland - Spice Journeys Exhibition at Unpaired Gallery
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2023 - Istanbul, Turkey - NFTIST Digital Art Exhibition at Planeth
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2023 - New Delhi, India - MASH Gala with BENNFT Gallery
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2023 - Barcelona, Spain - Lezar House Group Exhibition
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2023 - Amsterdam, The Netherlands - MET Amsterdam Exhibition at Westergasfabriek
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2023 - Los Angeles, USA - Outliers Exhibition at Foundry Gallery by PROOF
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2023 - Mumbai, India - Architectural Digest Design Show with BENNFT Gallery
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2023 - Seoul, South Korea - Billboard Exhibition with Art Innovation Gallery during Frieze Art Fair
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2023 - Seoul, South Korea - Beyond Seoul Exhibition by Trippy Labs with Korea Blockchain Week
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2023 - Austin TX, USA - Group Exhibition at Permissionless II Summit
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2023 - Boston MA, USA - Pellas Gallery at Boston Blockchain Week​
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2023 - Stockholm, Sweden - Way Gallery at Epicenter Stockholm
2023 - Tokyo, Japan - Reach For The Future Exhibition
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2023 - Cannes, France - Jane Goodall Institute Auction at Cannes Film Festival
2023 - NYC, USA - SuperRare Event at South Street Seaport
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2023 - NYC, USA - Unfold x SHILLR exhibition
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2023 - NYC, USA - Transient Labs Outliers at Oculus World Trade Center
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2023 - NYC, USA - Crypt Gallery x Dream Downtown
2023 - Paris, France - Natively Digital at Sotheby's France
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2023 - Boston, USA - Steve Aoki Hiroquest Tour
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2022 - Miami, USA - Monolith at SCOPE Miami Art Week
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2022 - Miami, USA - Floating Pixels at Miami Art Week
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2022 - Miami, USA - Unfold x SHILLR exhibition at Miami Art Week
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2022 - Montreal, Canada - SuperRare & 0x Society - The Wild Within
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2022 - Prague, Czech Republic - NFCastle at House of Lobkowicz
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2022 - Los Angeles, USA - ‘Frame of Mind, State of Time, Life Online’
2022 - Beijing, China - Yongle Auction Spring 2022
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2022 - NYC, USA - MODA presents A Question For Time exhibition
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2022 - NYC, USA - SuperRare Gallery x Jonathan Little exhibition
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2022 - NYC, USA - Ben Skaar Curation at the South Street Seaport
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2022 - NYC, USA - Time Square Showcase by NFT NYC
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2022 - NYC, USA - The Pyramid Screen by NFTSea
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2022 - Venice, Italy - Decentral Art Pavilion
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2022 - NYC, USA - Crypt Gallery x Dream Downtown
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2022 - Miami, USA - Blackdove Gallery at BTC Miami
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2022 - Liverpool, UK - NFT Liverpool
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2022 - Stockholm, Sweden - Way Gallery
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2022 - New York, USA - SuperRare Monolith
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2022 - Stockholm, Sweden - OtherLands NFT Festival
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2021 - Montreal, Canada - 0x Society
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2021 - Calgary, Canada - Photoville 'The Fence'
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2021 - Tokyo, Japan - NEO Shibuya Screen
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2021 - Miami, USA - SuperRare Monolith
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2021 - Miami, USA - The Temporal Gallery at Flagler Street
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2021 - Miami, USA - MoDa The Wall at Factory Town
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2021 - Dubai, UAE - WOW Summit
Selected Press
Bitcoin Magazine - An Interview Regarding 'The Origin' Inscription Artwork
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Cool Hunting Highlights Photo London 2024
WePresent by WeTransfer - The Duo Digitally Reviving Abandoned Buildings
Design Boom - The Enchanted Hour: A Hypnotic Cuckoo Clock
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Department of Cultural & Environmental Heritage at the University of Milan
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Visual Atelier 8 - The Enchanted Hour: A Mesmerizing Artwork Merging Time & Imagination
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The Inspiration Grid - The Enchanted Hour: A digital artwork that interacts with the time of day
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NFT NOW - ‘The Enchanted Hour’: Architectural Marvel Captured Onchain
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SuperRare Magazine - Curated Conversations: Botto collaborated with Ryan Koopmans
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HypeMoon by HypeBeast - 'Sanctuary' - Immersive Artwork
Visual Atelier 8 - 'Sanctuary' - A Meditative Digital Artwork
I See You Gallery - Interview with Ryan Koopmans
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Condé Nast Traveler - Deserted Soviet Town Is Attracting New Visitors Through Art
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Artnet - Venice Biennale
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Tabi Labo - Garden Of The Gods
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New York Post - Jim Carrey Buys NFT
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0x Society - Interview with Ryan Koopmans
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Visual Atelier 8 - Surreal Architectural Realms By Ryan Koopmans
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Fast Company - These Abandoned Soviet Buildings Got A Hauntingly Gorgeous Makeover
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Design Boom - Abandoned Soviet Architecture Digitally Revived With Dancing Flowers
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SuperRare Editorial 2021 - The Wild Within
Architectural Digest - Photographer Spent Five Years Capturing Abandoned Soviet-Era Spas
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Calvert Journal - Home From Home
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CNN - The Abandoned Soviet-era Spas A Community Of Refugees Calls Home
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GQ Magazine - Inside The City That Time Forgot
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WIRED - The Abandoned Soviet Spas Inhabited by Georgian Refugees
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Creative Boom - Decaying Spas of the USSR
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SuperRare Editorial 2022 - The Power Of Nature Compels You
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Podcasts & Audio Interviews
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The Future of Art w/ Roger Dickerman: Architecture, Nature & Long Term Vantage Point
PROMPT3D hosted by SHILLR: Conversation with Ryan Koopmans
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NorCal and Shill Season 1 Episode 92: The Wild Within
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Botto Talks: From Curation to Collab: Ryan Koopmans & Alice Wexell
Scrapbook - Episode 4: A Conversation with Ryan Koopmans
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