Saba Arat is a visual and sound artist who works at the intersection of textile practice, interactive systems, and ancestral technologies. Her work centers on the creation of "Interactive Kilims"—hand-woven textiles that function simultaneously as tactile instruments, sensory interfaces, and social spaces.

Her latest practice is rooted in long-term field research alongside traditional weavers in Turkey and Ethiopia, focusing on non-written knowledge and gestures passed through generations. Arat weaves wool and recycled yarns together with conductive fibers, sensors, and DIY electronics directly on the loom. Rather than treating technology as an external layer, she embeds electronic logic into the structural DNA of the weaving itself. These kilims respond to touch, pressure, and proximity, triggering immersive audiovisual environments. Her work serves as a living archive, reclaiming the often-invisible labor of women weavers and translating collective memory and myths into a tangible, sensory experience. Designed for collective use, her installations dissolve the boundaries between performer and audience, transforming the kilim from a static decorative object into a site of shared participation.

Saba Arat has showcased her work and performances at prestigious international venues. Her career highlights include upcoming installations and performances at Transmediale 2026 (Berlin) and the Nyege Nyege Festival (Uganda). She has previously collaborated on major projects such as Bergama Stereo Variations by Cevdet Erek at the Hamburger Bahnhof (Berlin) and the Ruhrtriennale (Bochum), as well as Noor: A Brain Opera at ISEA and the Microwave Festival in Hong Kong. Her innovative approach to "Tezgah Live" continues to bridge the gap between ancient craft and 21st-century sound art.

Exhibition & Projects (Selection)

2026

Installation, Transmediale 2026, CANK, Berlin, Germany (upcoming)

Performance, Tezgah Live with Karlo Sono & Tarxun, Kuppelhalle Silent Green, Transmediale 2026, Berlin, Germany (upcoming)

2025

Installation & Workshop, Nyege Nyege Festival x Kwetu Kwanza, Jinja, Uganda

Installation, Selbstgebaute Musik Festival, Holzmarkt, Berlin, Germany

Performance, Tezgah Live with Karlo Sono & Tarxun, Holzmarkt, Berlin, Germany

Sound Installation, Rug-based sound installation for HAFTW Live, Refuge Worldwide, Berlin, Germany

2020

Performance, Bergama Stereo Variations + Step 2 by Cevdet Erek, Hamburger Bahnhof – National Gallery of Contemporary Art, Berlin, Germany

2019

Performance, Bergama Stereo Variations + Step 2 by Cevdet Erek, Ruhrtriennale, Bochum, Germany

2016

Performance, Noor: A Brain Opera by Ellen Pearlman, ISEA – 22nd International Symposium on Electronic Art, Hong Kong

Performance, Noor: A Brain Opera by Ellen Pearlman, Microwave Festival, Hong Kong