Meet Mary Elias Letera | Intermedia Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mary Elias Letera and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mary, why did you pursue a creative career?
It felt like an inevitability after a long time of being more “practical”, like I’d been trying to stuff a square peg into a round hole. I come from a mixed family with a second-generation American mom and a refugee father, which means that I was instilled with an intense work-to-survive instinct. Despite always having had some sort of creative practice, a career in the arts seemed impossible until only fairly recently when I moved to Colorado in 2015. Coming from an economically depressed former steel-town in the rust belt, there are many avenues and opportunities here that weren’t available before.

It’s also become more apparent to me in recent years exactly how important representation is. As a femme technologist and an Arab-American, straddling not only multiple cultures but multiple disciplines (art and technology), I don’t often see myself represented anywhere in this world. I’ve battled a lot of stereotypes – from those about femininity and technological prowess being mutually exclusive, to tropes about Arab people being dangerous, and it is exactly for that reason that I feel compelled to try to make myself visible via my art.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I work with computer code and my own somatic practices to create what I consider an extended reality. Technology allows us to expand our capabilities in a lot of ways, but if we focus solely on what technology can do, we can miss the inherent, inimitable qualities of the organic world. So my interest is really in how we combine the physics of the real-world with the capabilities of machines. To that end I’ve worked a lot with motion tracking and motion capture technologies, using the movement of my body to paint with pixels.

I’m also excited by the inter-connectedness that can be facilitated with computers. For example, I can use body motion to control audio and visuals at the same time. Or use audio to control visuals, which also drives my body’s movement as I dance. To me it reflects the subtle nature of reality: we all, and everything, are connected as part of a bigger whole.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’ve had friends and family visit from across the country and as far away as Australia. I often bring visitors to Estes Park – the stunning mountains views, the high likelihood of spotting wildlife, and the iconic Stanley Hotel make it a favorite sight-seeing spot. In Denver we’ll check out the Denver Art Museum, which frequently has really high-quality programming; and MeowWolf, which is like an artsy adventure-land for all ages. And closer to home is Old Town Fort Collins. It’s a great place to walk around and eat, drink, and shop at small local businesses.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Definitely my mentor, coworker, and friend, Tarik Barri. Tarik is an audiovisual artist based in Berlin who’s found a lot of well-deserved success working with musicians like Radiohead, Robert Henke, and others. Despite this he remains humble, grounded, and kind. I met him in 2018 in Denver after one of his shows with Thom Yorke, and through him discovered the world of audiovisual art. He’s a huge source of encouragement and support, and his work a source of inspiration.

Website: https://www.maryletera.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mary_elias_letera/