Memo Akten

Biography

Memo Akten is a Turkish artist, researcher, and academic whose work sits at the intersection of artificial intelligence, computational science, and questions of spirituality, perception, and consciousness. Using custom software, machine learning, and generative systems, he creates moving image works, immersive installations, and live performances that translate natural and human-made processes into abstract, behavior-driven visual experiences. His practice draws on a wide range of influences, including biology, physics, neuroscience, ritual, and religious tradition, treating computation as a tool for exploring fundamentally human questions about meaning and experience. Akten holds a PhD in artificial intelligence and expressive human-machine interaction from Goldsmiths, University of London, and has built a career that bridges art, science, and technology. He currently serves as an assistant professor of Computational Arts at the University of California, San Diego, where he continues to research and teach at the intersection of creative coding and machine intelligence. His work has received significant international recognition, including the Golden Nica award at Prix Ars Electronica in 2013, one of the most prestigious honors in digital and media art. Akten's installations and performances have been presented at major cultural institutions including the Barbican, the Grand Palais, the Moscow Museum of Modern Art, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Royal Opera House, the Royal Festival Hall, and the Queen Elizabeth Hall.