For Traces, WePresent – WeTransfer’s digital art platform – asked artist Marina Abramović to select five items to preserve for future generations. She chose the rose of Jericho, quartz stones, a stone from Mars, Van Gogh’s Starry Night and the book Regarding the Pain of Others by Susan Sontag. Abramović’s art does not focus on physical objects, but rather on a transfer of energy: the elusive chemistry between people, the effects of time and the shared human experience. WeTransfer’s creative studio transformed this inspiration into a virtual time capsule. A physical pop-up exhibition in London combined with the virtual site makes this a compelling artistic experience.

It is admirable how WeTransfer is building their brand by establishing an art platform. The platform itself is all about storing and exchanging files; Traces now stores artworks in a capsule. With Abramović on board, they have connected with one of the world’s greatest artists and thus realised their proposition as an organisation for creative makers and artists. WeTransfer is a practical and inspiring tool, and WePresent boosts the brand in a substantive and creatively interesting way. Good to see WeTransfer using marketing money to give something back to society. Strong concept, smart strategy and a wonderful way of incorporating a museum function into a digital platform.