We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Hayk Zakoyan. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Hayk below.

Hayk, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

Yes, I absolutely earn a full-time living through my art. It’s a journey I’ve navigated with dedication. The path isn’t always straightforward; it’s more like ascending a ladder, rung by rung, with its own unique set of challenges and nuances. The key has been relentless self-improvement – a commitment to continuous learning through reading, observation, and deep study. There have been periods of intense focus, almost like a retreat from the world, to hone my craft.

It’s tempting to look back and think, ‘If only I knew then what I know now, things would have been faster.’ But the reality is, growth in the creative field is an organic process of diligent study and persistent effort. For me, the cornerstones have always been patience, unwavering hard work, and a strong sense of self-belief in my artistic vision.

Hayk, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

1. Introduction – Who You Are and Your Core Passion:

I am Hayk Zakoyan, a: Dynamic multimedia and visual artist, musician, VJ, and creative force from Yerevan, specializing in TouchDesigner.
My work is centered on: Masterfully blending natural phenomena, human emotion, cutting-edge technology, and a deep understanding of music. I use custom algorithms, AI, and sound analysis to create unique, ever-evolving visual narratives that explore and visualize the interconnectedness of the world, music, and inner energy.
My core passion is: Creating captivating generative art and immersive experiences that push the boundaries of visual storytelling, often intertwined with sound and music.
2. Your Journey into the Creative Field:

How I got into my industry/discipline: My journey into New Media and Visual Art wasn’t a direct path but rather an evolution driven by necessity and passion. Prior to specializing in Touchdesigner, I worked extensively as a lighting artist and designer, contributing to significant projects primarily in theatrical and large-scale installation environments. My introduction to Touchdesigner was born out of a pressing need: we were managing a complex project involving the intricate programming of numerous fountains and lighting devices, all synchronized to timecode. With our Touchdesigner specialist, a friend of mine, facing availability issues and a tight two-week deadline looming, I took the initiative to learn the software myself. Against the odds, we successfully delivered that challenging fountain project, and that pivotal moment marked the true beginning of my deep dive into Touchdesigner, and subsequently, my passionate pursuit of Visual Art and New Media.
Touchdesigner became important to me because: It was the catalyst that transitioned my skills and opened up new frontiers in visual and new media art, allowing me to translate complex, dynamic ideas into tangible, immersive experiences.
3. Your Creative Works – Products/Services:

The types of creative works/services I provide include:
Specifically, I create/offer:
Captivating generative art and immersive experiences.
Stunning live visuals for world-renowned musicians (e.g., Anyma, Eric Prydz, Max Cooper, Solomun, Mrak, Artbat, Luidji, and Mathame) and major international events (e.g., Afterlife).
Visuals for music videos, elevating visual storytelling in music.
Visual solutions for major corporate projects (e.g., T-Mobile, MSC Terminal PortMiami 2025).
Art exhibitions in galleries and art events (e.g., solo show at Cinema Mystica, Load Gallery, and within events like Miami Art Basel).
As a key member of Doodooc: innovative stage and visual setup development for acclaimed artists (e.g., Tigran Hamasyan, Kovacs, Anastacia) and complex event projects (e.g., visuals for multiple stages at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Fan Festival).
4. The “Why” – Problems You Solve / Value You Provide:

For my clients, I aim to/I solve the problem of: Elevating their live performances, music videos, and events by crafting unique and stunning visual narratives that push the boundaries of storytelling. My background as a musician allows me to create visuals that are not just synchronized but deeply synergistic with their sound. I provide visionary talent for their projects, from corporate needs to major international artistic showcases, ensuring unforgettable experiences.
For my audience/through my art, I aim to/the value I provide is: Offering mesmerizing visual poetry and immersive experiences that invite personal interpretation and emotional connection. My work explores themes from micro and macro worlds to the physics of nature, transforming data and sound into art that inspires, provokes thought, and visualizes our deep interconnectedness.
5. What Sets You Apart:

What I believe sets my work apart is: My ability to masterfully blend natural phenomena, human emotion, and cutting-edge technology, rooted in a practical understanding of complex system integration and deeply informed by my lifelong passion for music.
This includes:
Using custom algorithms, AI, and sound analysis to create unique, ever-evolving visual narratives.
A distinctive style often featuring natural color palettes or stark greys, which invites personal interpretation while delivering profound impact.
A visionary approach to transforming data into mesmerizing visual poetry through unique digital craftsmanship.
An intrinsic understanding of musical structure, rhythm, and emotional flow – stemming from my own experience as a guitarist in a Rock/Metal band and my appreciation for diverse genres – allowing me to create visuals that truly resonate with and elevate musical performances.
My expertise in Touchdesigner allows me to: Technically realize these complex and dynamic artistic visions with precision and creativity.
6. Proudest Achievements/Moments:

I’m proud of a wide range of projects and collaborations, each contributing to my journey. Some notable highlights include: [This phrasing allows you to then select what you want to emphasize in the moment, while listing them here ensures they are part of your comprehensive statement.]
Project/Moment: My contributions to iconic events like the Afterlife Festival, pushing the boundaries of immersive experiences.
Project/Moment: Developing visionary visuals for significant infrastructure projects like the MSC Terminal PortMiami 2025.
Project/Moment: The impactful work delivered with my team Doodooc for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Fan Festival, showcasing visuals across multiple stages.
Project/Moment: The initial demanding fountain project that propelled me into Touchdesigner, proving that necessity can be the mother of artistic evolution.
Project/Moment: Collaborating with world-renowned musicians like Anyma, Solomun, Max Cooper, Eric Prydz, and many others, where I can fully merge my visual artistry with my understanding and love for music.
Project/Moment: Exhibiting my work in significant art contexts, such as my solo show at Cinema Mystica (Budapest), showcases at Load Gallery, and participating in events like Miami Art Basel.
Project/Moment: The innovative stages and visual setups developed with my team Doodooc for artists like Tigran Hamasyan, Kovacs, and Anastacia.
Why it’s important to me: [You can briefly elaborate on why a specific project you choose to highlight is significant during the interview. E.g., “The FIFA project was incredible due to its scale and the global audience we reached.”]
7. Your Inspirations, Focus, and Mission:

My inspirations come from a range of sources, such as: The intricate beauty of natural phenomena, the depth of human emotion, the inherent physics of nature, and profoundly, music itself. My passion for music spans from the raw energy of heavy metal – which I play as a guitarist in my own Rock/Metal band – and the complex textures of electronic music, to the timeless structures of classical and the improvisational spirit of jazz. This diverse musical landscape deeply informs my visual creations. My distinctive visual style also draws from natural color palettes or stark greys, aiming for both aesthetic elegance and conceptual depth.
My current artistic focus is on: Exploring themes from micro and macro worlds, transforming data and sound into mesmerizing visual poetry, and visualizing the interconnectedness of the world, music, and inner energy. I focus on creating unique, ever-evolving visual narratives that engage and immerse.
My overall mission as an artist is to: Inspire through unique digital craftsmanship. I aim to explore and visualize the interconnectedness of the world, music, and inner energy, continually pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling and creating resonant experiences that bridge sensory realms.
8. Key Takeaway for Your Audience:

If there’s one main thing I want potential clients, followers, or fans to know about me and my work, it’s: That as an artist, musician, VJ, and creative force, I am passionately dedicated to using unique digital craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology to explore and visualize the profound interconnectedness of our world, music, and inner energy. I view all my projects and their diverse co-relationships not as separate endeavors, but as interconnected parts of a single, evolving body of creative work, aiming to craft captivating and ever-evolving experiences that leave a lasting impression across multiple senses.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Absolutely. The creative journey, especially in immersive and technical arts, is filled with moments that demand deep resilience. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve worked through the night, fueled by passion, only to see the sunrise herald not the end of work, but perhaps a brief pause before diving back in. Setups, in particular, are notorious for presenting unexpected, ‘non-standard’ challenges that require you to push your limits – to witness the sun set, then rise again, all while immersed in bringing a vision to life. I believe that when you have a profound love for the work, for the core idea, and for the creative process itself, these demanding moments of persistence are not just obstacles, but integral parts of the journey to achieve something truly special.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Regarding my social media presence, particularly on Instagram, I’d say my audience has grown more as an organic reflection of my work and collaborations rather than through a highly strategized campaign. My primary dedication has always been to the art itself—to meticulously honing each piece, ensuring it’s as beautiful, unique, and high-quality as humanly possible. I believe that when the work possesses a certain integrity and power, and when it becomes part of impactful projects and is seen by wider audiences through those avenues, people who resonate with it naturally seek to connect further. My social channels then serve as a more direct window into my ongoing explorations and portfolio.

For those just starting to build their social media presence, my advice would stem from this philosophy:

Elevate Your Craft Above All Else: Your most compelling asset is the quality and uniqueness of your work. Focus intensely on making your art exceptional. This is the foundation upon which everything else is built.
Authenticity is Key: Let your genuine artistic voice and passion shine through. In a crowded digital space, authenticity resonates deeply and helps you connect with a genuine audience that appreciates your specific vision.
Understand Your Medium and Its Nuances: This is where a practical approach is vital. For instance, while platforms like Instagram are powerful for visual artists, be mindful of the technical aspects. As you mentioned, algorithms compress media, and this can affect the perceived quality of your art. Strive to understand the optimal ways to present your work online—balancing file size for accessibility while doing your best to preserve the visual and conceptual integrity of what you’ve meticulously created. It’s about careful presentation.
Consistency with Quality: While regular updates are beneficial, ensure that what you share consistently reflects the standard you’ve set for your art. It’s better to post less frequently with high impact than to dilute your presence.
Show, Don’t Just Tell (When Appropriate): Consider sharing glimpses into your process, your inspirations, or the stories behind your pieces. This can create a richer connection with your audience.
Engage and Connect (If It Aligns With You): The digital world also offers opportunities for connection. Engaging with comments or other artists can be valuable, but do so in a way that feels natural to you.
Ultimately, I believe a lasting social media presence for an artist is built on the undeniable strength of the art, presented with care and authenticity.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://haykzakoyan.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zakoyanhayk/

Image Credits

These are all my images and I have the rights.