Irem is an artist and designer working at the intersection of technology, intelligence, and perception, where she explores the complex ways in which humans engage with machines. Her artworks employ a diverse range of tools, from advanced physics simulations and eye-tracking systems to custom AI algorithms, kinetic mechanisms and robotics. Through these technologies, Irem reimagines the traditional portrayals of artificial intelligence and machine behavior, challenging the prevalent narratives of fear and control with a more playful and humanistic approach.
This approach is evident in the machines she designs and creates, such as her robot Luna, which was characterized as cute, inquisitive, and more like a pet—less like a machine. Through Luna and other works, Irem carves out a space where technology can be intimate and personable, rather than cold or threatening. By shifting the discourse from sensationalism to a deeper, more reflective understanding of human-machine interaction, Irem offers an alternative narrative around AI—one that emphasizes curiosity and connection over anxiety and alienation. Her work encourages us to reconsider our evolving relationship with digital systems, from personal devices to virtual assistants, and how these interactions reshape our perception of both the environment and ourselves.
Irem’s works have been showcased at notable venues such as the Barbican Centre, Ars Electronica, Ugly Duck, and Istanbul Airport. In 2018, she joined the Interactive Architecture Lab at the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, where she specialized in Robotics, completed her master’s degree with Distinction, and was awarded the Best Thesis Award. Her research has been published at Siggraph, The Premier Conference & Exhibition on Computer Graphics & Interactive Techniques, and Sentimental Machines at the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. Irem also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Architecture from Tufts University.
Alongside her practice, she works at Random International as a designer.
Selected Talks and Writings
Instruments of Vision: Eye Tracking as an Embodied Interface, ACM – A detailed exploration of eye-tracking systems as embodied interfaces in interactive art.
Instruments of Vision, SIGGRAPH 2021 – Presentation on the relationship between machine vision and perception in robotics.
Sentimental Machines, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation – Designing emotional encounters with machines as an alternative interface with intelligences.
Envisioning Machines, ArtBizTech, 2021 – A lecture on looking at our perception of machines and intelligence.
Your Eye's Motion by Luna, DigitalFUTURES Young: Interactive Design – Discussing the creation of Luna, a robot designed to engage with humans emotionally through eye-tracking.
Navigating Distance: Bodies and Spaces, So-Far, 2021 – Investigating spatial and digital boundaries in the era of remote communication.
Archives of Vision, Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, 2021 – A lecture exploring the role of perception in robotics and interaction.
Selected Exhibitions & Awards
Frontiers, in collaboration with Lannka, curated by HOFA, and Scorpios Mykonos
Eskiden Piksele, Samsun, Turkey, 2024
Istanbul Digital Arts Festival, AKM, 2023
SOFT Publication, 2022
SIGGRAPH ACM, 2021
Somerset House, Makerversity Under 25 Programme, 2021
Bang Prix. 2020 Residency Programme
Ugly Duck, Anamorphic Waves, 2019
Grow Hackney, Sense 4: Perception, 2019
Here East UCL, Exquisite Instruments, 2019
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Instagram: irem.rgb
