Vienna — Media Art
About
Light, sound and interaction as instruments for listening to hidden systems, microbial, electromagnetic, human.
Cagdas Cecen is a Vienna based media artist and curator working at the intersection of light, sound, and interactive systems. Trained in physics before completing his diploma in Media Art / Digital Arts at the Universitat fur angewandte Kunst Wien (class of Ruth Schnell), he builds installations that render invisible phenomena perceptible: laser encoded sound travelling through microbial ecosystems, artificial light translated into hearing, satellite dishes haunted by uncensored machine narratives.
His work has been shown internationally, including at the Biennale Sessions of La Biennale di Venezia and Ars Electronica Festival, and recognised by the Media Architecture Biennale Awards: winner of the Spatial Media Art Student Award (Ghostbox, 2023) and finalist of the Transmedial Media Architecture Award (The Cellular Fidelity, 2023). He is founder and board member of Kultur und Kunstverein FABRIKRAUM and of the media art collective B.A.D., and Artistic Director and Curator of ECHOLOT at Das LOT, Vienna.
Exhibitions
2026
Enlightening Stories : AFTERGLOWArs Electronica Festival 2026
Linz - AustriaEcho Chamber (Interactive Sculpture)Solo Exhibition, Palais Rössl
Vienna - Austria2025
Ghostbox — Klangkunst zum AngreifenCollective Exhibition, feat. ExMachinisMusicae
Vienna - AustriaEnlightening Stories (Demokratie, was geht?)Austrian Parliament
Vienna - AustriaEnlightening Stories (Demokratie, was geht?)Kulturhaus Brotfabrik
Vienna - AustriaEnlightening Stories ("Wir Sehen Euch")WUK
Vienna - Austria2023
Two Faces – PalimpsestCollective Exhibition, Alte Ankerbrotfabrik
Vienna - AustriaByte the PurpleSolo Exhibition, Kunstpunkt Berlin
Berlin - GermanyTwo FacesArtwalk Palimpsest, Transmedia Collective Performance
Vienna - Austria2022
Distance FogCollective Exhibition, Wienstation
Vienna - AustriaThe Cellular FidelitySolo Exhibition, Alte Schieberkammer
Vienna - AustriaKempelenpark Open HouseCollective Exhibition
Vienna - AustriaTrauma TraumaCollective Exhibition, Fabrikraum
Vienna - Austria2021
Transform-Arte 2021Participating artist
Eisenstadt - AustriaAngewandte Festival 2021Participating artist
Vienna - Austria2019
5.5 (Mixed Media Installation), KAIROS: Recall of Earth Part 2Collective Exhibition
Thessaloniki - Greece"Spannung!" MedienwerkstattCollective Exhibition
Vienna - AustriaFabrikraum #01Collective Exhibition
Vienna - Austria5.5 (Mixed Media Installation), KAIROS: Recall of Earth Part 1La Biennale di Venezia, Biennale Sessions
Venice - ItalyOffene Ateliers in MargaretenKünstlerhaus, Participating artist
Vienna - AustriaReflecting RecordsCollective Exhibition
Vienna - Austria2018
A Community of IndividualsSOHO Festival
Vienna - Austria2017
Digital WorkflowCollective Exhibition
Vienna - AustriaUntapped SurplusCollective Exhibition, Künstlerhaus
Vienna - AustriaDisintegrate (Stop-Motion PSA Film)Ministerium für ein lebenswertes Österreich, Danube Projekt, Haus der Europäischen Union
Vienna - Austria2016
Infected StructuresCollective Exhibition
Sokolowsko - PolandSmells Like Sh.t (Video Documentary "TV916")Collective Exhibition
Trebinje - Bosnia and HerzegovinaSowohl als auch...Performance
Vienna - AustriaAwards
2025
BMKÖS Project GrantFederal Ministry for Arts, Culture, Civil Service and Sport — for "Echo Chamber"
2023
Spatial Media Arts Student Award — WINNERMedia Architecture Biennale 2023 Awards, for "Ghostbox" (2021)
Transmedial Media Architecture Award — FINALISTMedia Architecture Biennale 2023 Awards, for "The Cellular Fidelity" (2022)
2022
MA 7 Project GrantCultural Affairs Department of the City of Vienna — for "The Cellular Fidelity"
Curatorial
2025
Artificial TerritoriesDas LOT, Vienna - Austria — Artistic Concept and Lead Curator
Wir Sehen EuchWUK, Vienna - Austria — Co-Curator
2024
Ludic TerritoriesDas LOT, Vienna - Austria — Artistic Concept and Lead Curator
2023
FAVOURITE FALL — Brotfabrik HerbstfestArt and Culture Festival — Artistic Curator on behalf of ECHOLOT
Activities
2023 to 2025
Artistic Director and Curator, ECHOLOTDas LOT, Vienna
2019 to 2021
Deputy Chairperson of ÖH Angewandte (HUFAK)Universität für angewandte Kunst Wien
University Senate MemberUniversität für angewandte Kunst Wien
2018 to 2023
Founder and Board MemberKultur und Kunstverein FABRIKRAUM
Founder and Board MemberMedia Art Collective B.A.D. (Basisgruppe angemessener Dilettantismus)
Education
2015 to 2021
Media Art: Digital Arts, Diploma DegreeUniversität für angewandte Kunst Wien — Class of Univ.-Prof. Mag. art. Ruth Schnell
2012 to 2015
BA PhysicsUniversität Wien
2007 to 2009
Scriptwriting / DramaturgyEkim Art Academy Bursa
2004 to 2009
BA PhysicsUludağ University Bursa
