Generative Artist / Creative Director / Independent Researcher

Tuğrul Şalcı’s work explores the relationship between noise, symbiotic relations, and creative system development, contributing new insights into generative art production. Tuğrul’s artistic repertoire includes generative AI applications and audio-reactive performances, demonstrating a blend of technical skill and creative vision.

Unleashed, the creative studio he co-founded, is now the main platform through which he develops immersive and captivating audiovisual and interactive installations. Operating at the intersection of art, technology, and design, the studio collaborates with innovative brands and industry professionals to create experiences that engage perception and presence. Prior to Unleashed, he co-founded and coordinated Algorave Istanbul—an independent community platform for live coding and generative performance. During its active years, he collaborated with over 40 artists and organized more than 20 events and workshops across cultural institutions, universities, and underground venues.

e-mail: tugrulvelisalci[at]gmail.com
ig: @tugrulsalci
linkedin: @tugrulsalci

Work
2024 Co-founder & Creative Director at Unleashed
2023 - 2024 Co-founder & Product Manager at Lucida AI
2020 - 2024 Research Assistant at Özyeğin University
2019 – 2021 Teaching Assistant at Sabancı University
2018 – 2019 Art Director at HAUS Istanbul
2018 – 2019 UI/UX Designer at Filika İnteraktif
2017 Exhibition Designer at SALT Galata

Publications
2025 Distraktion on Substack: A Self-published Turkish-language bulletin featuring critical essays on new media, political aesthetics, and digital philosophy
2024 Stable Diffusion Denoising Path Orientation: Implementing L-System Algorithmic Growth Pattern in Generative AI Model, Independent Research, ISEA

Exhibitions & Appearances
2025 Without a Shore, New: Now 2nd Edition, CerModern, Ankara
2024-2025 Revivals of Adnan Çoker and Selim Turan, Journey to the Roots, in multiple locations: Türkiye Innovation Week, Adana Museum, Manisa Museum, Bursa Merinos Atatürk Center
2024 Thinking of Entropy: Gökçeovacık, Eskizden Piksele, Samsun
2023 Cybernetic Flora: Video Extract 1, Samsung D’Art
2023 Cybernetic Flora, Eskizden Piksele, Antalya Kültür Sanat
2022 Tree of Life 3. Future Health Summit, İzmir Ticaret Odası, İzmir
2022 Mamurt Art Project, Art Fair, Bomontiada, İstanbul
2021 Unclaimed Landscapes, FASS Art Gallery, Sabancı University, İstanbul

Projects
2020 - 2025 Co-founder & Member at Algorave Istanbul
2021 - 2024 Curator at randomSeed, a web platform includes computational art creations of COD 207 and COD 208 Creative Coding students
2019 Live Coder as Uzak (Nightdive, Ruunt, Y-Negative)

Education & Residencies
2025 Piksel New Media Residency, Alan Kadıköy
2023 Young Digital Artists Program, Istanbul Modern
2021 MA in Visual Arts and Visual Communication Design. Sabancı University
2019 BSc in Communication Design. Özyeğin University, FAD
2018 Exchange Student in Vilnius College of Design

Seminars & Workshops
2024 Panel Discussion, ISEA 2024
2024 Diffusion Delusion Confusion, Panel on AI Image Generation and Diffusion Models, hoster by Tianran Qian
2023 Creating Audio-Reactive Visuals with Touchdesigner, Sonar İstanbul 2023
2023 Algorave & Developing Concepts for Generative Art at Winter Fest in Ankara, ODTÜ
2022 Creating Audio Reactive Visuals in Touchdesigner. Workshop Series at Müze Gazhane,
2022 Developing Concept for Generative Art and An Introduction to Touchdesigner. Workshop at 42 Istanbul
2022 "Unclaimed Landscapes" A response to digital chaos at Brown Bag Seminar Series in Özyeğin University

Awards & Scholarships
2021 Honorable Mention in Ankara Metropolitan Municipality’s street sign competition for Ankara, in the category of ‘Original Typeface Design’.
2019 Full Scholarship, MA in VAVCD, Sabancı University
2013 Full Scholarship, BSc in Communication Design, Özyeğin University

Slope Unit - Grinding Like Nobody