Marcel Schwittlick

Marcel Schwittlick, born in 1989, is an artist based in Berlin, Germany. He studied computer science at HTW Berlin, earning a B.Sc. in Media Computing, and is currently pursuing Art & Media at the University of the Arts Berlin. Marcel’s background in technology and art informs his multidisciplinary practice, where he explores the intersections of digital culture, philosophy, and generative systems.

His work combines digital and analog media, often using algorithmic methods and custom-built machines like vintage plotters to produce abstract, geometric drawings. Schwittlick’s art investigates themes of human-machine interaction, randomness versus control, and the physicality of digital processes. He builds, repairs, and programs his plotters, treating software development as an integral part of his creative practice. By incorporating real-world data, such as computer mouse movements and environmental factors, he introduces natural variability and unpredictability into otherwise precise systems. His process bridges mechanical drawing with experimental photographic techniques like laser-exposed photographic paper, creating a dialogue between technology and materiality. Schwittlick’s work reflects on the cyborg concept and the evolving relationship between organic life and machines, exploring how constraints such as limited pen stocks and extended production times influence the final piece. 

Schwittlick has exhibited widely, including solo and group shows at notable venues such as Galerie Data in Paris, the Harwood Museum of Art in New Mexico, and the Jogja National Museum in Indonesia. His work has also been featured at major events like the Havana Bienal in Cuba and the ISEA Open Sky Gallery at Berlin Calling in Hong Kong. In 2016, he received an Official Selection award from ISEA for his participation in Berlin Calling, highlighting his international recognition in new media art.