Practice / Background

About Defektu

Practice

I am Çağatay Güçlü, known online as Defektu, an Istanbul-based creative technologist and visual artist from Turkey. I work at the intersection of generative art, immersive experiences, and real-time visual systems. My background is not only software or one visual tool: I studied industrial design and spent six years working in theatre, which still shapes how I think about space, process, collaboration, and the practical side of production.

Work

I create immersive audiovisual experiences, interactive installations, generative visuals, and motion-driven work for exhibitions, performances, and digital releases. Projects span museum-scale environments, theatre integrations, music videos, and real-time tools that respond to music, movement, and audience input.

Defektu is not a formal studio; it is my personal practice and working name. For larger productions, I can lead the creative technology side, shape the technical approach, and bring in trusted collaborators when the scope calls for a team.

Base and collaborations

I am based in Istanbul, Turkey, with projects shown or developed for contexts in New York, Washington DC, Munich, and other international venues. Past work includes collaborations with Nohlab, Soundwalk Collective, ARTECHOUSE, XTOPIA, and ha:ar.

Tools and methods

I use TouchDesigner for real-time visuals, alongside creative coding, visual design, motion graphics pipelines, generative systems, projection workflows, motion capture integration, and interactive media frameworks. The useful part is not only the software stack; it is knowing how a concept becomes something that can hold up in a room, in rehearsal, and in front of an audience.

Notable collaborations and venues

  • Nohlab — Trace (AKM Istanbul), 5 Movements (Hall des Lumières NYC), and KONTACT at SALT Galata
  • Decol TV — Echoes of Basilica, OMNEA Metaverse, and Trace creative technology collaborations
  • ARTECHOUSE Washington DC — Luminous Resonance: Elemental Soundscapes
  • Soundwalk Collective — Lovotic music video
  • XTOPIA — Ugly immersive theatre, Istanbul
  • ha:ar — Mindflow AI installation, Istanbul

Teaching, workshops, and early research

  • Industrial design education — a foundation in product thinking, prototyping, material decisions, spatial reasoning, and designing around real constraints.
  • Six years of theatre work — production experience across rehearsal logic, timing, collaboration, stage constraints, and the practical pressure of live presentation.
  • Osmangazi University — workshop instructor for "Interactive Visuals and TouchDesigner" and conference speaker for "Introduction to Generative Visuals."
  • Anadolu Fablab — industrial design work on a modular emergency shelter project.
  • Salone del Mobile Satellite 2019 — audiovisual multimedia development for the movement piece "Simulakra."

Timeline

  • 2021-present: R&D, product, software, AI model, and creative technology work at Neva XR; freelance creative technology projects; and recent cultural work including KONTACT at SALT Galata.
  • 2020-2021: Decol TV and visual production period, focused on interaction design, 360-degree projection mapping, real-time generative art, and interactive artworks.
  • 2016-2020: Event design and management work including PechaKucha Nights Eskişehir, İzmir and Eskişehir Mini Maker Faire, Make: Türkiye, and the 2018 International Furniture Congress, while continuing local TouchDesigner collaborations, real-time concert visuals, and artist-led projects such as 97/13 and The Rump Project.

Press and project links

A few public links for press, curators, and collaborators who need more context around the work.

How to hire or collaborate

I am available for commissions, creative-technology roles, and collaborations in Turkey and internationally. Reach out at info@defektu.com or @defektu on Instagram. Explore selected works, browse the creative technology glossary, or read the FAQ.