Aline Mare’s work lives at the intersection of the corporeal and the cosmic. Drawing upon a rich background in performance art, experimental film, and installation, Mare explores the sensuousness of the body as a vehicle of consciousness—transforming its physical presence into a site of mythic exploration and ecological reflection. Her mixed media practice, rooted in the poetics of natural form, channels the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth.
The Body as Nature’s Mirror
At the core of Mare’s creative inquiry lies the conviction that the body is not separate from the natural world but intrinsically linked to it. Through her work, she investigates how veins resemble roots, how bones echo minerals, and how our inner architecture is reflected in the structures of the earth. These parallels form a visual language that is both scientific and symbolic, intimate and expansive.
Using multi-layered compositions that often include botanical imagery, anatomical studies, and organic textures, Mare blurs the line between human and nature. Her art becomes a meditation on the interconnectedness of life forms—a reminder that we are not just in the world, but of it.
Origins in Performance and Film
Mare’s early years as an artist were deeply embedded in performance art and experimental film, disciplines that allowed her to embody and externalize complex ideas around identity, myth, and transformation. These early influences continue to inform her visual vocabulary. The dynamic, time-based qualities of performance and the dreamlike, layered structure of film have evolved into her current approach to still imagery—where nothing is static, and every surface pulses with movement and meaning.
This cinematic sensibility permeates her work, lending it a sense of narrative without a fixed storyline. Instead, Mare’s pieces often feel like moments captured mid-transformation, evoking mythic tales reinterpreted through the visceral language of biology and botany.
A Career of Exploration and Recognition
Aline Mare’s journey as an artist began in the vibrant and boundary-pushing art scene of New York’s Lower East Side. With roots in theater and installation, she quickly became known for work that pushed beyond traditional forms. She studied at SUNY Buffalo’s Center for Media Studies before earning her MFA from the prestigious San Francisco Art Institute, both of which deepened her interdisciplinary foundation.
Since relocating to Los Angeles in 2013, Mare’s practice has blossomed. She has exhibited widely in both solo and group exhibitions across California and internationally in Europe. Notable among her recent engagements are residencies at Art 1307 in Naples, Italy (2023), and the Valparaiso Foundation in Spain (2022), where she continued to expand her nature-infused investigations. Earlier residencies include Fourwinds in France, Starry Nights in New Mexico, and New York’s State Residency for the Arts, among others.
In addition to her exhibitions, Mare’s work has found homes in private collections in New York, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, and even China—an indication of her global resonance and the universality of her themes.
Metaphors of Nature and the Psyche
What makes Mare’s work especially compelling is her ability to weave metaphors of the natural world with the intricacies of the human psyche. Her mixed media pieces often contain plant matter, x-rays, watercolor washes, and photographic fragments, all delicately layered to evoke the porous boundaries between states of being. These are not simply aesthetic choices; they are philosophical statements about impermanence, regeneration, and the fragility of life.
This blending of natural imagery with internal anatomy creates an archetypal space—one where viewers may project their own narratives of healing, evolution, or decay. In doing so, Mare invites reflection on both the self and the larger ecological body we inhabit.
Continuing to Push Boundaries
Mare continues to challenge and expand the boundaries of her medium. Whether working in two dimensions or creating immersive installations, she treats each piece as a living entity—capable of growth, change, and communication. Her commitment to exploring the ever-shifting relationship between humans and the natural world feels especially urgent in the context of today’s environmental concerns.
By delving into the poetic overlaps between roots and arteries, mineral and marrow, Aline Mare opens up a visual and conceptual space where myth and science, body and planet, consciousness and matter, converge. Her art is not just seen—it’s felt. It resonates on a cellular level, urging us to reconsider the very makeup of our existence and our responsibility to the living systems around us.
A Resonant Voice in Contemporary Art
With decades of exploration behind her and a vision rooted in both intellect and intuition, Aline Mare stands as a resonant voice in contemporary art. Her unique fusion of media, science, mythology, and ecological awareness continues to evolve—pushing viewers toward deeper understanding and connection.
Mare’s work reminds us that the body is not separate from the world it inhabits, but a reflection of it. Her art affirms the beauty of transformation, the power of myth, and the profound intelligence found in nature’s design. Through every layer and image, she offers a compelling visual language that speaks to the cycles of life and the vital unity of all living systems.
