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cyanne van den houten (they/she) is a media artist based in utrecht and rotterdam who seeks to uncover digital mysteries and make technology’s hidden layers tangible. their practice is rooted in open-source thinking, collaboration, queer and feminist tech (histories), and a deep care for tools that stay open and legible.
embracing a hacker’s ethos, van den houten is a self described tinkerer1 with love for (cyber) crafts, working hands-on salvaging zombie2 electronics and local AI systems – to demystify how algorithms and devices shape our world and to expose the hidden power structures and biases inside technology. they create large scale interactive installations that connect these cyber sculptures with rogue archives, whispering chatbots and experimental storytelling across game engines, creative code, custom AI systems, chatboxes and DIY electronics. this creates mystical spaces where audiences can start a dialogue with these machines, that almost always respond unpredictably in echoes of classification rather than certainties.

as founder of the telemagic media art collective (a long time collaboration with roos groothuizen and ymer marinus) and a member of rotterdam’s .zip artist run space, they foster communal exploration of digital culture through artistic research, hackathons and art interventions focused on queer futures. these collaborative practices are grounded in knowledge-sharing, tool-making, and rethinking what creative sustainability can look like in the age of automated decisions.
van den houten’s recent projects exemplify these themes: unstable image orchestrated an AI “whispering game” among networked sculptures, generating unexpected poetry from feedback looped communication while unearthing hidden queer histories. model collapse transformed the extractive, earthbound infrastructure of AI into a mythic generative landscape of digital relics, illuminating issues of mystification, bias, ecological footprint, and labor in tech’s supply chain. their current research behind the black wall dives into media archeology and imagines a recovery center for rogue AI systems – investigating exiled chatbots after deletion and giving these errant intelligences new voices and bodies beyond their programmed confines.

through all these works, van den houten remixes randomness and embraces glitch as a generative force, inviting viewers into critically playful dialogues with our increasingly sentient presented machines.

in short: cyanne’s work asks not just what digital extensions can do, but who gets to decide what gets done — and how we can make space for stranger and more intentional alternatives.

for inquiries please get in touch via email: info@cyannevdh.nl or contact via linkedIn.


be sure to visit the websites of my long term collaborators and friends:
ymer marinus, roos groothuizen, asmallproductioncompany, erik peters, louisa teichmann, sophie allerding, ginevra petrozzi and guenter råler.  


selected cv




EDUCATION

2015 – 2017

MA of design in fine arts, sandberg instituut

2011 – 2015
BA of graphic design, university of the arts utrecht


HIGHLIGHTS RESEARCH + RESIDENCIES
2025 march + may
behind the black wall
investigating the ecology of exiled chatbots and giving these errant intelligences new voices and bodies beyond their programmed confines after deletion
fellowship onassis air - onassis onx, athens ︎︎︎

2025 january
aleatory.agent
prototyping experimental instruments that guide generative AI tools in real-time creation
umarts TAIGA artist researcher in residence (as part of the art and AI working group), umeå sweden ︎︎︎

2024 april - december
chance.operator
 developing methodologies to incorporate algorithmic chance operations during crafting by utilizing computer-controlled machines like hacked CNC machines, 3D printers and drawing robots 
focus area: can chance-based interventions and feedback loops expose the different biases embedded in generative ai models?
supported by digitale cultuur, stimuleringsfonds ︎︎︎

2022 - 2023
k.f. hein stipend 2022
 queer feminist research on the imagination of generative (image) ai’s
outcome: the exhibition unstable image in centraal museum
supported by k.f. hein stipend 2022 ︎︎︎    

2019 - 2020
talentontwikkeling
 selforganizing telemagic as a media lab (.zip) + developing the 1 euro cinema.online during the pandemic (www.1eurocinema.online)
supported by talentontwikkeling stimuleringsfonds ︎︎︎

2018, may - december
vnine: musical ai
 telemagic research on discovering new musical genres with a deep learning algorithm icw valentin vogelmann, arran lyon and mrinalini luthra
outcome: the experimental deep learning AI tool vnine
supported by SIDN fonds, pioneer responsible AI ︎︎︎

concert in ai
telemagic concert in ai development with the goal to make the real-time behavior of ai vnine tangible resulting in a everchanging series of live concerts
supported by AFK + co-produced by frascati theater


INITIATIVES AND COLLECTIVES

2022 – now

founder of .zip
 .zip is a rotterdam based artist space and media lab for interdisciplinary makers with an affinity for technology. the .zip file is a philosophy for knowledge sharing, unpacking as a way of exploring and being together in a compressed space.
.zip focusses on digital culture, queer futures and alternative art forms. the space is managed by 9 makers who actively fight to make the experimental use of tools and space more accessible to artistic peers. founded together with roos groothuizen.
︎︎︎ website 

2019 - now 
founder of telemagic
 telemagic is an arts meets tech collective making sense of the mysteries that revolve around digital technology. we create artistic interventions, manifestions and tools that focus on a closer human connection towards tech developments. telemagic is a collaboration between ymer marinus, roos groothuizen and cyanne van den houten.
︎︎︎ website

SELECTED SHOWS

2025 september
model collapse
ars electronica, linz austria
2025 july - aug
model collapse
noorderlicht biënnale: machine entanglements
2025 july
before the deluge
w/ erik peters and ymer marinus
winter_sessions, v2_ rotterdam
2025 april - june
patriarch_smasher
NERD_FUNK library, mu eindhoven
2025 april - may
seeding_venus
dutch pavilion world expo 2025, osaka japan
2025 march
dröm by guenter råler x telemagic
vincent op vrijdag, van gogh museum
behind the black wall version 1
onassis air spring open days, athens
2025 january
chance.operator + prompt.charms
umarts, umeå sweden
2024 december
museum is closed
pride week, fluor
petrified_diffusion
de aanschouw, rotterdam

2024 nov - 2025 jan
wheel of telefortune
chroniques biennial of digital imaginaries, marseille

2024, october
dröm by guenter råler x telemagic
slug gallery, leipzig

echo.imager
medialab cinekid festival, amsterdam
2024 sep - 2025 feb
solo exhibition: model collapse
tetem, enschede
2024 august
1 euro cinema.online gamestation
opgedoekt sleepover cinema, kultkino
2024 june
before the deluge act 1: monere
w/ erik peters and ymer marinus ︎︎︎
transmedia research institute, pesaro italy

museum is closed + dream.pylons
creatieve technologie, university of the arts utrecht
2024 may
wheel of telefortune
novio magica, stevenskerk nijmegen
2024 april
dröm by guenter råler x telemagic
centraal laat x centraal museum + STRP + design museum den bosch
2024 march
1 euro cinema.online gamestation
kultkino x stranded.fm
2023 dec - 2026 dec
archive.dweller
collectie centraal, centraal museum
2023 nov - 2024 feb
solo exhibition: unstable image
utrecht lokaal, centraal museum
2023 september
the museum is closed
kunsthal kade
2023 july - nov
concert in AI installation
oyfo, hengelo
2023 july
the oracle
parksessies, haarlem

1 euro cinema x m leuven
m-idzomer, museum leuven
2022 june
telepythia
lentekabinet festival
2022 may
dröm by guenter råler x telemagic
freaky dancing
2022 april
1 euro cinema
korte film festival, sickhouse enschede
2021 nov - jan
wheel of telefortune
galerie de meerse
2021 november
telepythia
het cultuur gebouw haarlemmermeer
2021 september
1 euro cinema online gamestation
x susanne janssen + louisa teichmann
roodkapje
2021 june
1 euro cinema x jujulove
roodkapje
2020 october
quantum.dweller
quantum supremacy, gogbot festival
2020 july
concert in AI
radiant voids, tec art festival
2020 january
1 mop cinema exchange x biyi zhu
vondel cs
2019 oct - 2020 jan
wheel of telefortune
screen it, stadstriënnale, hasselt genk
2019 september
concert in AI intervention
graphic matters, breda

telepythia
into the great wide open
2019 augustus
concert in AI
pukkelpop
2019 july
1 mop cinema exchange x biyi zhu
macau design center, china
2019 june
wheel of telefortune
planet b, de waag
2019 april
concert in AI: the promethean promise
frascati theater
2019 april - june
the haiku generator
digitaal dilemma, bureau europa
2019 april - may
the oracle
kabbalah-maand, kriterion
2018 november
wheel of telefortune
infinite lives, the overkill festival

1 euro cinema selects
museumnacht, stedelijk museum amsterdam
2018 oct - nov
rss readings
the new newsroom, MU dutch design week
2018 july
1 euro cinema selects
wildeburg festival
2018 may
televape
lentekabinet festival
2018 april - may
the haiku generator
the small museum, paradiso
2018 april
wheel of telefortune + interventions
concerning the spiritual in art, paradiso
2018 feb - march
1mb = 10gr
policy of disappearance, studio bwa wroclaw gallery
2018 february
the oracle
nacht voor de nacht, doka

1 euro cinema
not for profit art party, roodkapje
2017 november
magic mirror
v2 testlab: function_creep

total eclipse
museumnacht, waag society
2017 october
residency: 1 euro cinema
worm rotterdam
2017 september
residency: telestate
de school
2017 june
the oracle
shelter amsterdam
2017 april
nightfestival: midnight teleshopping
worm rotterdam

SELECTED TEACHING, TALKS, ORGANIZING AND MORE
2025, september
workshop week: experience prototyping with ymer marinus, umeå university
2025, june
talk + break-out room: data CARE workshop - diversifying creative AI and cultural value, utrecht university 
2025, may
ghost hardware: hacking workshop - dispossesed models with roos groothuizen, onassis air athens
2025, april - june 
teaching: skills lab interaction with ymer marinus, graphic design university of the arts utrecht
2025, march + may
fellowship: behind the black wall, onassis air + onassis onx - athens
2025 february
residency + open studio: before the deluge w/ erik peters and ymer marinus, v2_ winter_sessions 2025
2025 january
organizing: ai tinkering session + open studio, umarts
2025 january
interactive talks: chaotic ai co-creation, humlab, art + ai working group and responsible ai group umeå university
2025 january
artist researcher in residence: art + ai micro-project, umarts TAIGA umeå university
2024 july
interactive talk: queer AI + model collapse, art track & queer fem tech ESDiT, university of twente
2024 june
organizing: salon des refuses <trash hacking benefit> with roos groothuizen, .zip
2024 may
development week nexus: model collapse, tetem enschede
2024 may
organizing: AI afterschool club with telemagic, university of the arts utrecht
2024 may - june
artist researcher in residence: AI, creative technology, university of the arts utrecht
2024 april
jury member: k.f. hein stipend 2024
2024 april
organizing: vape live into your sex toys with louisa teichmann and nastia cistakova, ghost hardware hackathon, .zip
2024 april - june
teaching: skills lab interaction with ymer marinus, graphic design university of the arts utrecht
2024 march
workshop: co-creation with AI in education for teachers, grafisch lyceum utrecht
2024 march
interactive talk: co-creation with AI in education for teachers, university of the arts utrecht
2024 february
workshop: scrying through AI with ymer marinus, graphic design university of the arts utrecht
2023 september
interactive talk: art and reproduction in the time of AI, sint joost
2023 april
interactive talk: chaos magic and generative AI with ymer marinus, ARTxCODE, fontys
2022 jan - dec
visual design research: new drag who dis, exploring how 3D-printing and generative ai can expand post-human non-binary drag
research initiated by queer arcana supported by stimuleringsfonds
2022 january - may
coaching: talenthub de machinerie
2021 october
workshop: combinatory algorithms, soul of the beast with telemagic, roodkapje
2020 december
presentation: concert in AI online, ID2020 gemeente overijssel
2020 october
lecture: measuring the aesthetics of music generation of AI tool vnine with valentin vogelmann, nederlands film festival
2020 february
lecture: quantum supremacy symposium with roos groothuizen, TEC ART, WORM rotterdam
2019 october
talk: selfbuild design tools and hacking, medianight, beeld & geluid
2019 may
talk: possible futures, between magic and technology, here comes the summer
2018 january
talk: the urge of design absurdism, brekend!beeld, kapitaal 
2017 november
residency: magic mirror with telemagic, v2_ function_creep
2017 october
talk: magic and technology, dutch design week talks with hansje van halem, klokgebouw
2017 october
talk: tussen kunst en glitch, wheel of telefortune, nederlands film festival
2017 september - now
curating: film program of telemagic 1 euro cinema, de school, macao, m leuven, stedelijk museum
2017 april
organizing: first paranomal technology fair with 30+ artists, worm rotterdam
2017 january
workshop: B4K a month strategy development with loes claessens, university of the arts utrecht 
2017 – 2018
prototype + masterclass: the sineaters, experimental game on hidden labor of content moderators: the sineater produced during masterclass sandberg @ mediapark
2016 february
talk: speculative design research, openset seoul sessions, kookmin university seoul
2016, february
stipend: open-set seoul sessions, supported by stimuleringsfonds


FEATURED + PRESS
podcasts: kunstmatig (patriarch_smasher @ MU) + hku en ai
interview: unstable image and co-creation with AI, gonzo magazine 2024-01
article: magical thinking and unstable image by laurie cluitmans
article: meeklappen met het algoritme, de standaard
article + video: concert in AI op pukkelpop, studio brussel
article: een algoritme gaf voor het eerst een live-concert in amsterdam, vice
interview: telemagic - magic and technology, glamcult
article: selected by hansje van halem, bno dude magazine
article: the weight of media art, strategie niewidzialności blok magazine


SELECTED DESIGN OF LARGE SCALE EXHIBITIONS (FOCUSSED ON QUEERNESS AND TECHNOLOGY)
2022 september - 2023 march
2022 june - july
2021 june - august
2021 august
2020 - now
exhibition design + campaign: brAInpower, museum boerhaave
festival identity + exhibition design + campaign: COME ALIVE, niet normaal
festival identity + exhibition design: FAKE ME HARD, niet normaal + PLANETART
festival identity stationsplein: infocalypse now, GOGBOT, PLANETART
graphic designer for multidisciplinary breeding ground ROODKAPJE rotterdam