About

Osman Koç is a creative technologist/artist, who uses creative coding, physical computing, and digital fabrication to create works at the intersection of art, science, and technology. He creates audio-visual performances, responsive, immersive environments, and interactive installations by incorporating various sensors and display technologies. He develops custom software to visualize behaviors and movement patterns that are inspired by natural sciences. He uses various forms of interactivity and public participation to create playful and engaging experiences that encourage cooperation and exploration. The abstract nature of his visuals aims to be familiar enough to spark recognition and alien enough to leave room for interpretation. 

In addition to his impressive body of work, Osman is a dedicated maker and educator. He co-founded Iskele47, the first maker space in Istanbul, and was one of the organizers of the Maker Faire Istanbul. He taught classes on creative coding and physical interaction design at HBK Saar (Germany) and Yeditepe University (Turkey), and many workshops on creative technology. He is a co-founder of the audio-visual trio NOS Visuals, a member of Epitome a parametric architecture collective, and a proud philanthropist of the Noisebridge hackerspace.

His works have been exhibited at Exploratorium, Gray Area, Ars Electronica, Signal Festival, Todaysart Festival, Carnegie Museum of Arts, Computer History Museum, Daejeon Museum of Art and National Museum of China. He worked as a creative technologist on many projects for multinational brands such as Unity3D, Adidas, IBM, HP, Salesforce, Capital One, and Microsoft. He lives and works in San Francisco and is represented worldwide by Sozo Artists.

For booking and new work commissions, please contact:

Sozo Artists, Inc.
https://sozomedia.com/

Exhibitions

  • Seaquins, Korean Society of Media & Arts Fall Exhibition, Pier Contemporary, Seoul, South Korea – 2023

  • Seaquins, Fractals, Istanbul, Turkey – 2022

  • Seaquins, Parallax, Istanbul, Turkey – 2022

  • Seaquins, Digital Art on Campus, Istanbul, Turkey – 2022

  • Gusts We Create, Digital Art Now: Alternative Realities + NFT exhibition, Istanbul, Turkey – 2022

  • Selected Videos, NEO SHIBUYA TV X NEW MEDIA ART, Tokyo, Japan – 2022

  • AI Pianist (NOS Visuals x VirtuosoNet), AKM (Ataturk Cultural Center) Reopening Ceremony, Istanbul, Turkey- 2022

  • Selected Videos, Disartive Digital Art and Design Fair, Moscow, Russia – 2020

  • Selected Videos, Istanbul the Lights, Istanbul, Turkey – 2020

  • Wakes, Korean Society of Media & Arts Fall Exhibition, Asia Culture Center, Gwangju, South Korea – 2020

  • Seaquins, ZAZ10ts July Selection, NYC, USA – 2020

  • Sónar+D AV: Wakes, Sentinels, Sequins by Osman Koç, Istanbul, Turkey – 2020

  • FLOOD, Collaboration with Bandaloop, The Momentary, Bentonville, AR, USA – 2020

  • NOS Visuals, Ways of Seeing, Daejeon Museum of Art, Seoul, South Korea – 2019

  • Sym, AS-Helix the 5th Art and Science International Exhibition and Symposium, National Museum of China, Beijing, China – 2019

  • Intra, Thrival Festival, Carnegie Museum of Arts, Pittsburgh, USA – 2018

  • A close up of a person holding a pair of scissors, Curiosity Conference, Computer History Museum, San Francisco, USA – 2017

  • The Cone, Luminary Expanded, The Midway, San Francisco, USA – 2017

  • A close up of a person holding a pair of scissors, Noisebridge 10 Year Anniversary Exhibition, San Francisco, USA – 2017

  • Solo Exhibition, A close up of a person holding a pair of scissors, TOZ/Artist Run Space, Istanbul, Turkey – 2016

  • Analog to digital work converter, Laboro Ergo Sum, Amber Arts and Technology Festival, Istanbul, Turkey – 2015

  • Zugzwang, Main Exhibition, One Architecture Week, Plovdiv, Bulgaria – 2015

  • Hyperpresence, Waves, Blok Art Space, Istanbul, Turkey – 2015

  • Urban Organics (as Epitome), Plug-in, Contemporary Istanbul Art Fair, Istanbul, Turkey – 2015

  • Urban Organics (as Epitome), Mamut Art Fair, Istanbul, Turkey – 2014

  • Learn as you teach, Dreams To Reality, Vitra Contemporary Architecture Series 3, Istanbul, Turkey – 2014

  • A day in life, Template, International Architecture Biennale of Antalya, Antalya, Turkey – 2013

  • Hyperpresence, !f Istanbul Independent Film Festival, Istanbul, Turkey – 2012

  • Corporeal Experiences, Commons Tense, Todays Art Festival, Den Haag, Holland – 2012

  • Corporeal Experiences, Commons Tense, Saarbrucken, Germany – 2012

  • Corporeal Experiences, Paratactic Commons, Istanbul, Turkey – 2012

  • Who broke this vase?, The end of the world, 311 artworks, Istanbul, Turkey – 2011

  • Doppelganger, Next Ecology, Amber Arts and Technology Festival, Istanbul, Turkey – 2011

  • Personal Tapestry, Significance of bio-cultural heritage and identity in contemporary times, – Nomadic Art Camp, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan – 2011

  • Living Istanbul, Playface Intercult, Vienna, Austria – 2011

  • Belly Dancing Kit, Living Istanbul, Bodies of Synthesis, Enghien Les Bains, France – 2009

  • Aquaphone, “Belly Dancing Kit”, Interpassive Persona, Amber Arts and Technology Festival, Istanbul, Turkey – 2008

Performances

  • Harmonic Essence – Performance with Dan Gorelick and Qianqian Jin, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, CA, USA – 2022

  • Github Universe 2022 – Opening performance with Dan Gorelick and Ollella, San Francisco, CA, USA – 2022

  • Backstage Jazz – Performance with Adam Meckler and Jazz Lab Band, Houghton, MI, USA – 2021

  • NextNow Fest – Performance with Nathan Lincoln DeCusatis and Tempo New Music Ensemble, Berwyn, MD, USA – 2018

  • Bodensee Festival – Performance with Garbiel Prokofiev, Friedrichshafen, Germany – 2018

  • Exploratorium – After Dark: Extended Cinemas – Performance with Amma Ateria, San Francisco, CA, USA – 2018

  • BINDERY: Experimental Music Night – Performance with Jonathan Crawford, San Francisco, CA, USA – 2018

  • Luminary Expanded – Performance with Tim Russell (Avoidance Policy), San Francisco, CA, USA – 2017

  • Tracks and Echoes Opening Night – Performance Matheus Coura and Keisuke Nakagoshi, San Francisco, CA, USA – 2017

  • Gray Area Foundation Unseen Series – Performance with Samantha Weinert, San Francisco, CA, USA – 2017

  • TSU! Live – Saravah, Tokyo, Japan – 2017

  • (Re)Constructing Nature – Performance with Amy Salsgiver Dorsay – Borusan Contemporary Museum, İstanbul, Turkey – 2016

  • Audiovisual Performance – Performance with Volkan Ergen – Arkaoda, Istanbul, Turkey – 2016

  • Midnight Orient Cafe No.5 – KC Grad, Belgrade, Serbia – 2016

  • Europalia Festival – Performance with Jef Neve – Flagey, Brussels, Belgium – 2016

  • Dogus Otomotiv New Year Celebration Party – Volkswagen Arena, Istanbul, Turkey – 2015

  • Signal Festival Opening Gala – Manes Gallery, Prague, Czech Republic – 2015

  • Turkcell Starry Nights – Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Open Air Theatre, Istanbul, Turkey – 2015

  • AmberFestival Audiovisual Night – Performance with Eser Karaca – Santralistanbul, Istanbul, Turkey – 2015

  • International Animation Days – Performance with Eser Karaca – Institut Français, Istanbul, Turkey – 2014

  • Dogus Otomotiv 20th Anniversary Performance – Çıragan Palace, Istanbul, Turkey – 2014

  • TEDxReset – Performance with Görkem Sen, Alp Çoksoyluer – Tim Show Center, Istanbul, Turkey – 2014

  • Opening of Scriabin Museum – Performance with Andrei Korobeynikova – Scriabin Museum, Moscow, Russia – 2013

  • Deep Space Music – Performance with Maki Namekawa – Ars Electronica, Linz, Austria – 2012

  • !f Istanbul Independent Film Festival Opening Gala – “Crane” – Interactive 3D IMAX Performance, Istanbul, Turkey – 2012

Press

Teaching

  • Autonomous Art Machines, Nesin Sanat Koyu (Nesin Art Village), Turkey, June-April 2018

  • Prototyping with Arduino, Hochschule der Bildenden Künste Saar (HKBSaar), Germany, January-April 2015

  • Interdisciplinary Approaches In Design, Yeditepe University, Turkey, September-December 2014

  • Physical Interaction Design, Hochschule der Bildenden Künste Saar (HKBSaar), Germany, October-December 2013

Book Contributions

  • Her şey, tasarım., Published by: SHERPA Blog – 2020

  • Savaşmaya Değer — Aaron Swartz derlemesi, Osman Koç, Işık Barış Fidaner – 2016

  • Turkish Translation of Aaron Schwartz’s writings (Gitbook) – 2016

  • Scratch ile Arduino, Published by: Abaküs Publishing, Foreword by Osman Koç – 2016

  • Significance of identity and biocultural heritage of mountain landscapes in contemporary times,Published by:Nomadic Art Camp, Bishkek Art Center, Mentioned work: “Personal Tapestry”, Article: “Thoughts on art projects ,held in Issyk-Kul” – 2013

  • The Big Picture, Published by: Ars Electronica, Mentioned work: “Deep Space Music” – 2012

  • Commons Tense, Published by: Body Process Arts Asscociation, Mentioned work: “Corporeal Experiences” – 2012

  • Paratactic Commons, Published by: Body Process Arts Association, Mentioned work: “Corporeal Experiences” – 2012

  • Bodies of Synthesis, Published by: Centre Des Arts of Enghien Les Bains, Mentioned works: “Belly Dancing Kit”,“Living İstanbul”, Conceptual texts: “Belly Dancing Kit”,“Living İstanbul” – 2009

  • Interpassive Persona, Published by: Body Process Arts Association, Mentioned work:“Belly Dancing Kit” – 2008

Academic Papers

  • HyperPresence: Telepresence via Quantum Cinema, Published at ISEA (International Symposium on Electronic Arts), September 2011, Single author

  • A Field Programmable Gate Array Based Modular Motion Control Platform, Published in Proceedings of 2011 IEEE International Conference on Mechatronics, ICM 2011, pp:797-802, DOI: 10.1109/ICMECH.2011.5971223, First Author (Koc,O., Naskali,A.T., Kunt,E.D., and Sabanovic,A.)