Practical Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Çağatay Güçlü / Defektu?
Defektu is my online alias. I am Çağatay Güçlü, an Istanbul-based media artist and creative technologist working with generative art, immersive installations, real-time visuals, creative coding, and design-led production.
What does a creative technologist do in visual art?
In my work, creative technology is the layer between the idea and the room: code, design decisions, TouchDesigner patches, sensors, show-control logic, projection workflows, motion capture, and generative systems that can survive rehearsals, venues, and live audiences.
What is generative art in immersive installations?
Generative art in immersive installations uses algorithms, real-time data, and procedural systems to create visuals or sound that can change over time. Instead of fixed media, the work can respond to music, movement, performers, visitors, or the space itself.
Which projects show this practice?
Selected projects include Trace and 5 Movements with Nohlab, Lovotic with Soundwalk Collective, Luminous Resonance at ARTECHOUSE Washington DC, Ugly with XTOPIA in Istanbul, Mindflow with ha:ar, and Symphonic Companion.
Do you work only with TouchDesigner?
No, not only TouchDesigner. It is one of my main tools for real-time visuals and interactive systems, but the practice is wider: creative coding, visual design, industrial design thinking, motion graphics, projection workflows, theatre production, and on-site problem solving. I studied industrial design and worked in theatre for six years, so process, spatial thinking, collaboration, rehearsal logic, and production constraints are part of how I build work.
Are you available for commissions in Turkey and internationally?
Yes. I take on commissions, collaborations, and creative-technology roles in Turkey and internationally. For larger productions, I can shape the technical approach, lead the creative technology side, and bring in trusted collaborators when the scope needs a small team.
What services do you actually offer?
Five things: interactive installations with sensor and motion tracking; real-time visual systems built in TouchDesigner; projection mapping and show control for stage and large-format venues; generative and AI visual direction; and workshops or training for teams and universities. Each has its own page describing scope, process, and what I do not take on.
Can you work as a subcontractor inside another studio's production?
Yes, and that is how most of my collaborations have run. On Trace and 5 Movements the creative direction sat with Nohlab while I handled the creative technology and visualization layer. I am comfortable working under someone else's creative direction without needing authorship over the concept.
What does a project cost?
It depends on scope, venue, schedule, and whether I am building the whole technical layer or joining an existing team. Rather than publishing a rate card that fits nothing, I quote after a short conversation about the actual project. If the budget is clearly below what the work requires, I will say so early instead of letting it surface halfway through production.
How long does a project take?
A single interactive room with a settled concept is typically six to twelve weeks from brief to opening, with on-site time in the final two. Workshops and consulting can happen much faster. The schedule risk is rarely the software — it is venue access, hardware arrival, and how late the concept keeps moving.
Do you travel, and do you supply hardware?
I travel — I am based in Istanbul and have worked on productions installed in New York and Washington DC, so travel and accommodation should be budgeted for the install window. I usually do not supply hardware directly; I specify what the project needs and work with your production or rental partner to source it.
What should I include when I get in touch?
Project scope and creative direction, the location, the timeline and key dates, a budget range if you have one, and any references or technical constraints. That is enough for me to say whether I am the right person and what the realistic shape of the work would be.
How do I contact you?
You can reach me at info@defektu.com or via Instagram at @defektu . For more context, browse the selected works, the services pages, and the project references on this site.
More about the practice on the About page or info@defektu.com.