Leo's picture
Leo F. Isikdogan, PhD
Researcher • Engineer • Artist
Sr. Research Engineer at Netflix
Los Gatos, CA

YouTube Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Google Scholar GitHub
About Me

Artist Statement

As an interdisciplinary researcher, engineer, and artist, my work finds its foundation at the intersection of technology and creativity. My art incorporates computational aesthetics, generative AI, and creative algorithms to construct new visions of nature. My background in machine learning, computer vision, and image and video processing helps me reimagine nature through the lens of machines.

Nature is a recurring theme in my work, drawing inspiration from doctoral research in Electrical and Computer Engineering. During my time as a graduate researcher, I collaborated with environmental engineers, and built models and algorithms to analyze satellite imagery using neural networks. Although my research was primarily technical, it significantly impacted my artistic practice.

Throughout my professional journey, I have found similarities between my art and engineering work that shape my approach to both fields. I adopt a minimalist and efficiency-driven approach in both areas. Many of the constraints in engineering do not exist in art. Yet, I still keep my use of computational resources at a minimal level. Those very constraints drive my creativity in many cases.

My art and engineering work diverge in their purpose and outcome. As an engineer, I seek concrete solutions to complex problems, whereas as an artist, I explore questions rather than pursuing definitive answers. Despite the differences between art and engineering, I strive to uncover the beauty in both. I try to find beauty in all aspects of my work, even in fields not traditionally associated with aesthetics. Through my work, I hope to inspire a deeper appreciation for the beauty of nature and elegance of mathematics and computer science.

Bio

Leo Isikdogan is an interdisciplinary researcher, engineer, and artist based in California. His practice spans a broad range of disciplines, including machine learning, computer vision, computational photography, image and video processing, and computational creativity. He holds a PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin. Isikdogan uses artificial intelligence to create art as well as to solve practical problems. He worked for Lenovo, Intel, and Apple, and is currently a Research Engineer at Netflix.

Press