RESEARCH PROFILE
Lona Gaikis (*1982 Toronto, Canada) is a writer, curator, and lecturer at the the University of Vienna, the University of Art and Design in Linz, and the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna (Austria). where she offers lectures on current debates in philosophy, society, and the arts. She regularly contributes as an author to exhibition catalogues, academic journals, and anthologies (ORCID).
She obtained her doctoral degree (Dr. Phil.) in Philosophy, Art and Cultural Studies from the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna in 2017. Her research focused on the “new key” in the American philosopher Susanne K. Langer and the meaning of music in artistic practice. Lona is editor of the Bloomsbury Handbook of Susanne K. Langer (2024).
Lona’s commitment to research and academia is complemented by a curatorial engagement with media art and music sub-cultures. In 2009, she founded the platform czirp czirp – experimental and sonic arts. Oscillating between sound in experimental, synesthetic formats, and media art, this project has showcased various international artists such as Aïsha Devi (CH), Bergsonist (USA/MAR), EVITCELES (BGR), Islaja (FIN), Lucas Abela (AU) and Steve Roden (USA) among many others. Further collaborations in the digital involved Jasmine Guffond and Ilan Katin (USA/AUS), Claire Tolan (ASMR audio play) or artificialmuseum.com (AR project).
CURRENT RESEARCH:
BLACKBOX DES FÜHLENS [The black box of feeling: music between intuition and algorithms](German)
SPURENSUCHE: LANGER UND DER WIENER KREIS (German)
UPCOMING:
EVENT | 24. JULY 2025
SONIC CELL
czirp czirp temporarily borrows urban space to prompt the human @Schlesingerplatz, 1080 Vienna. Artists: Islaja (FIN), Lucy Duncombe (UK) and Feronia Wennborg (NO), Daphne von Schrader (AT). Join us 18:30-22:00 (sharp!).
ART PROJECT | 30. AUGUST 2025
CLUB RADIOKOJE | Sympoiesis
The 2025 edition of CLUB RADIOKOJE at the historic pool Kongreßbad addresses its meaning as a site for dance and social interaction. Artists: Nono Gigsta (NL), … line-up in the making. In collaboration with Silent Disco Vienna.
PUBLICATION | AUTUMN 2025
Gaikis, Lona. “Therapy-Poesis: Prosthetic Care for Damaged and Undamaged Bodies.” Feminist Encounters, 9 (2), special issue on “Feminist Techno-imaginaries.” Edited by Jasmina Šepetavc, Katja Čičigoj and Natalija Majsova. Accepted, forthcoming in fall 2025.
CONFERENCE | MAY 2026
“SUSANNE K. LANGER: Artistic Angles, Philosophical Circles, Poetic Dots, and Technical Lines”. A conference in collaboration with Prof. Vera Bühlmann from the Research Unit Architecture Theory and Philosophy of Technics ATTP, TU Wien (AT).
RECENT:
EXHIBITION TEXT | 11.03.2025 – 28.03.2025
BERND OPPL: eye work
bb15 – Space for Contemporary Art, Linz.
LECTURE | WINTER SEMESTER 2024
MUSIK UND LEBENDIGE FORM (MUSIC AND LIVING FORM)
University of Vienna, Musicology Institute.
PUBLICATION | OCTOBER 2024
CICADA GAMES: ASMR AUDIO PLAY FOR ONE VOICE AND SEVEN SPIRITS. By Claire Tolan. Limited print edition coming out in 2024. Graphic design: Milena Georgieva. Editor: Lona Gaikis. Published by czirp czirp. With the kind support of the City Council of Vienna.
Further information:
ACADEMIC CAREER
FUTURE PROJECTS
LIST OF PUBLICATIONS