404.zero: Karpysheva and Letsius Merge Code, Modular Synths, and Light into Living Audiovisual Systems
Since 2016, the creative duo 404.zero, made up of Kristina Karpysheva and Aleksandr Letsius, has been pushing boundaries in audiovisual art. They focus on generative performances, immersive light displays, modular electronic sounds, and tools using TouchDesigner that blend sound, visuals, code, and space into an interactive experience. Unlike traditional setups, they don't just use visuals as a backdrop; instead, everything—modular synths, custom instruments, algorithmic movements, dynamic lighting, and graphics—develops together in real time, creating a unified experience. Their work is fresh and original, generating visuals from live coding rather than using pre-made footage. A September 2026 piece in Design You Trust highlights how their unique approach merges sound and image, situating them at the heart of generative art and immersive installations. For more, check out their Instagram @404.zero.
Key facts
- 404.zero is an audiovisual art duo formed by Kristina Karpysheva and Aleksandr Letsius.
- The duo has been active since 2016.
- Their practice includes generative performances, immersive light installations, modular electronic music, and TouchDesigner tools.
- They treat sound, image, code, and physical space as one living system.
- Their performances make sound and image develop together in real time using modular synth signals, custom-built instruments, algorithmic motion, shifting light, and generative graphics.
- Their work is deliberately footage- and sample-free, with visuals emerging from code and live systems rather than pre-rendered clips.
- The results are described as dense, painterly, and disorienting, with abstract forms that appear to breathe, fracture, liquefy, or gather into vast dark environments.
- Their work occupies a space between concert, ritual, experiment, installation, and digital sculpture.
Entities
Artists
- Kristina Karpysheva
- Aleksandr Letsius
Institutions
- 404.zero
- Design You Trust
- TouchDesigner