Varvara Guljajeva

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Academy of Media Arts Cologne

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About

Varvara Guljajeva is an interdisciplinary artist and researcher whose work sits at the intersection of interactive art, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Operating primarily under the artistic duo Varvara & Mar, she has established herself as a pioneering figure in the emerging field of creative AI and robotic art installations. Her most celebrated contribution, *Dream Painter*, has accumulated over 50 citations across two publications and exemplifies her signature approach: harnessing industrial robotics — specifically KUKA robotic arms — alongside AI-driven generative systems to transform intimate human experiences into collective artistic expression. By inviting audiences to narrate their dreams and watching an AI navigate latent space to produce multicolored line drawings, Guljajeva collapses the boundary between human imagination and machine creativity. Her broader research extends into robotic 3D printing and ceramics, exploring how automation can enrich traditional craft practices through artist residencies and curatorial collaboration. More recently, she has mentored and contextualized emerging robotic art works, evidenced by her scholarship on Zoe Li's lunar light-painting installation. Guljajeva's body of work consistently champions participatory, emotionally resonant encounters between audiences and intelligent machines, making her a compelling voice in contemporary new media art research.