Artist Interview: Tripura

Maria Agureeva, better known as Tripura in digital arts world, is a Los Angeles based artist who works with 3d motion graphics and video. Her works are inspired by the relationship between the global human body and the body of nature in the future, new forms of life, chimeras, boundless bodies, and interpretations of Love.

Tripura's art have been featured worldwide including in Tokyo, Paris, New York, and Milan. She is also a winner of the prize from Ruinart Art Patronat (2019) and TRUST FOR MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING (2018), and a nominee of the Kandinsky Prize (2013).

We asked Tripura about her art, creative process, and inspirations.

Elusive beauty by Tripura. 3D motion graphics. 41s. Sound by Dario Duarte. 2023.

“Swimming in shallow water, it is impossible to see all the beauties hidden in the depths of the grand universal ocean. It is impossible to fully appreciate the strength and richness of the entire spectrum of light and sound waves that fill it, innumerable forms of life vibrating with consciousness, the flourishing diversity of emotions and embodied experiences that are just reflections - reflections of real feelings hidden under the deep pressure of the dark. Only by diving deeper and deeper can one find that special moment that slips away in everyday life - the moment of true BEAUTY.”

What inspires your art? Are there any particular themes or subjects that you enjoy exploring through your artwork?

I am a visionary artist, an explorer of futures. These can be completely different aspects of the future, and the pieces are not exclusively related to humanity. Sometimes the works are a projection of human feelings and emotions into beings and entities into a posthuman world. It is important for me to highlight to the viewer the problems and opportunities that limit our freedom right now - through the lens of a speculative future.

What does your creative process look like? How do you approach brainstorming and conceptualizing ideas?

After I have determined what idea I want to convey to viewers, and I found visual images of how to convey this idea, then, as a rule, I write the text first. This is my approach as an author. When the viewer sees the piece they will have an internal dialogue that may become verbalized. Therefore it is essential for me to formulate the piece in linguistic detail, so that I can develop the plot of the work and fully grasp it myself. I then make a series of sketches, a mood board, and then begin the process of creating a graphic image. I work closely with a team of 3D designers to facilitate the evolution of the work visually. This process can take 2 to 3 weeks. The final stage is the creation of the accompanying sound art. I currently work with musicians/sound designers from Argentina and Italy. Each of them has their own unique vision and sound. When I understand the tone of a particular piece, I suggest a collaboration to the musician. The process of fully creating a single piece can take from 1 to 1.5 months. Previously I aimed to complete one new piece a month, but now I try to slow down and release a new piece every 2-3 months. This makes it possible to make each work unique and as thoughtful as possible.

Echo by Tripura. 3D motion graphics. 47s. Sound by Jacopo Gino. 2022.

“An echo of the past, an echo of the present, an echo of the future - none of this exists anymore. Everything merged into one point, the original source of all matter. The human body is no more, the body of nature no longer exists. There is only an indivisible breathing substance.”

Can you share an example of a challenging project you've worked on recently? What were the obstacles you encountered, and how did you overcome them?

At the moment I am working on a very complex and important project, one that I hold dearly. The proposed project is focused on creating digital art images that combine aesthetic experiences with therapeutic effects, which will encourage positive and relaxed mental and physical states within the viewer. This is done through the use of cutting-edge digital screens or/and AR technology, based on psychological studies and research that aims to deliver a new or improved outcome in the participant.

We live in a world where people are constantly pressured by their daily routines, responsibilities, and the overwhelming presence of technology. As a result, we often feel trapped in a corner, unable to relax and unwind, or to find that state of pristine peace we so desperately need. But what if we could use art and technology to our advantage and help people achieve proper deep relaxation?

My project is a groundbreaking initiative that seeks to do just that. Combining the latest advances in science, digital art, music, and technology, I aim to create an immersive experience that helps people achieve the quality relaxation their entire body needs.

In such a complex project, you can’t feasibly take everything on yourself - you need to systematize, break it down to individual tasks, evaluate what you can do yourself, and determine what needs to be delegated to other specialists. In this project, I also have to be a conductor of sorts.

The mercury in your veins whispers that you’re already dead. by Tripura. 3D motion graphics. 27s. Sound by Acid youth. 2022.

“The synthetic impulse transforms the natural rhythm of the heart. It is no longer the pulsing force of being that sets your heart in motion, that made you feel alive. When the streams of mercury completely filled and split the last living cells, the last breath leaked through the metallic pores with the glow of an elusive consciousness.”

How do you stay inspired and motivated as a digital artist? Are there any specific techniques or practices you use to overcome creative blocks?

I have been making art since I was 16 years old. I’ve stayed in this "profession" for so long, likely because I don't need to motivate myself - that part isn’t the struggle. I stockpile ideas and they are just waiting for their time to be implemented. This does not mean that I do not have crises. But these are crises of finding either a technical solution or the right partner for a specific task. My meditation practice has been integral to helping me overcome the inevitable obstacles. And, of course, traveling is the best.

When we became archeology. by Tripura. A still from the video. 3D motion graphics. 36s. Sound art by Morrr. 2023 *(prints are available in* *artist’s store*)
“What if our technological advances give birth to new terrestrial life forms? Will we be their curious fossils - found on future archeological excavations? These new forms have already begun their life cycle, the completion of which we may not catch... In a period of rapid evolution surrounding computing, AI, artificial general intelligence, and cognition - nothing seems to be a utopia. We, along with robots (et al), endowed with our "unearthly" intelligence, are watching the rapidly changing world. And, perhaps, these constructed systems already see this world of the future better than us…"

Are there any specific projects or goals you're currently working towards as a digital artist? What do you hope to achieve in the future?

I want to go beyond just art. I'm interested in hybridizing art and technology. The forms of art that exist now will either change or disappear altogether. But we as a species, as long as we have a body the body will have needs. I’m motivated by art’s ability to change the structure of a person, their biopsychosocial state. I teach the practice of qigong and I know a lot about the body, I know how to properly relax the body and how to mobilize it to solve many problems. This skill set has been a tremendous boon to my new collaborative project, where I am at the intersection of science and digital art.

Follow Tripura’s art!

Warm currents by Tripura. 3D motion graphics. 30s. Sound art by Lo.Sai. 2023.

“What if time is not linear? Maybe you exist simultaneously in several realities, and in each of them you are an unexpected assembly of your various possibilities. What if reality is a stream in which you are a chimera rushing towards the infinite light, striving to become like the creator who made you, but out of ignorance and laziness you choose to get carried along in the warm currents, simply floating through reality?”