Emma Orhun
Captured by Pano Media
Being a Walking Science Experiment
In this talk, Emma Orhun shares her journey from software engineering into art through the lens of logic, algorithms, and overthinking. Raised by scientists and trained in computer science, she built her early identity around objectivity, pattern recognition, and solving problems with clear answers. Art disrupted that entirely.
Emma reflects on how her background in programming shaped the way she sees the world. Everything felt like an “if this, then that” equation. But art offered no binary answers. It was infinite potential. The hardest shift wasn’t taxes or logistics. It was accepting that there is no right answer and that subjectivity cannot be pre-validated.
To move forward, she reframed herself as a “walking science experiment.” Instead of trying to predict outcomes, she began testing ideas. Small daily exercises, like drawing on sticky notes after work, became low-stakes creative training. Curiosity became her compass. Repetitive thoughts became clues rather than distractions.
She shares how following strange impulses, like designing a Tamagotchi with Apple Watch functionality, led to unexpected visibility and opportunities. By leaning into recurring symbols and personal fascinations, she developed her own visual language that bridges art and technology. Transparency became part of that language, both conceptually and emotionally.
Finally, Emma emphasizes the importance of sharing work publicly. Early posts were awkward and unsupported, but consistent visibility turned her into a node in a larger network. Through social media, she built community, refined her style, landed clients, and eventually contributed to a Nike SB collaboration, which gave her the confidence to leave her software job.
She closes with a simple stance: stop waiting for certainty. You cannot pre-solve your life like code. Start anyway.
emma.design
@emmaorhun
