Mara Trachtenberg is a multidisciplinary artist working in cut-paper stop motion animation, collage, sculpture and installation. Born in Queens and raised in Long Island, New York, she holds a BA in English and Women’s Studies, a BS in Art Education and an MFA in art with a concentration in Photography. Trachtenberg’s Speculative, Maximalist World Building explores our world of overstimulation, exploitation and political and social hierarchies through a feminist lens. Her experimental stop motion animation, Among Us has been screened in “The Experimental Forum”, Los Angeles, CA, “The Society for Photographic Education Media Festival”, St. Louis, MO, “Vastlab Experimental Film Festival”, Los Angeles, CA and the “Imagine This, International Women’s International Film Festival”, New York, NY where it received the award for Best Experimental Film. It has also been screened in Trachtenberg’s home state, Rhode Island in “The Rhode Island Independent Animators” film festival. She is the 2016 and 2020 Rhode Island State Council on the Arts Fellow in Photography. Trachtenberg is an adjunct professor of Integrated Media Arts at Anna Maria College in Paxton, MA, The President of Sutherland Welles, Ltd. and a Board Member at Hera Gallery.
Monster Pyramid Collage #10 2022
Decorative Paper, ink jet prints 18″ x 24″
Artist Statement
The work in Among Us is a critique of current societal systems and exposes our world built upon invisible hierarchical structures wherein Monsters thrive. In this world they overstimulate us with never ending news cycles, exploit us for our attention, time and resources. Among Us reflects the ever-present abuse and horror in the concurrent political, environmental, and social unraveling that we are bearing witness to. Among Us is a body of work in process taking the form of an eight minute stop motion animation, viral dance animations, collages and sculptures.
Among Us utilizes a Maximalist aesthetic using reproduced drawings and patterns to draw viewers into this world. While creating and using patterns that are already made is a way to order the chaos, drawings placed on patterns and patterns on patterns create a visual sensory overload that exemplifies it. The Maximalist aesthetic feels like the overstimulation produced by our 24 hours news cycles made to capture and consume our attention, it looks like the way the world I inhabit feels
Additional Info
Artist Website: maratrachtenberg.net
Instagram: @maratrach
Part of Growing the NetWorks
This artist was selected by a past NetWorks Rhode Island participant as part of Growing the NetWorks — a 2025 exhibition presented by WaterFire Providence, at the WaterFire Arts Center, celebrating peer-nominated artists from across Rhode Island. Learn more at waterfire.org/growingthenetworks
Highlighting the work of selected artists who have played vital roles in shaping the contemporary visual arts community in Rhode Island. This collection of brief video portraits provides a window into the lives, practices, and cultural contributions of professional artists.
