Maria Agni Stroka is a contemporary multimedia artist who combines photography and digital composition with the more traditional media of drawing and painting. As a qualified master etcher and an alchemist at heart, she enjoys experimenting with both ideas and processes. She is an obsessive observer and the primary tools in her creative practice, while ‘on the move’, are camera lens and sketchbook. Journaling merges her passion for reading and research with her need for visual expression. She describes herself as a collector of ‘now’ moments and abstractions. These collections, both physical and intangible, are then curated, reconsidered, and later processed in a studio environment. She works with her sources, using digital devices as well as tactile tools and materials like paint, scissors, glue, gold leaf, found objects, etc. There are no rules or limitations concerning materials and techniques: spontaneity and intuition are paramount.

Her work represents an exciting spectrum of media driven by conceptual ideas primarily rooted in Integral Theory. This is based on the idea that reality is multifaceted and that different perspectives, worldviews, and dimensions must be considered to gain a more complete understanding of any subject. It provides a holistic approach to knowledge and problem-solving, emphasising the integration of multiple perspectives rather than reductionism or one-sided viewpoints. By her own admission, she often feels misunderstood, and the Integral philosophy substantiates her ideas and understanding of the world that she has carried with her since early childhood.

“Learn how to see. Realise that everything connects to everything else.” Leonardo Da Vinci

With ancestral roots in the Tatar diaspora, Maria Agni has always been drawn to the nomadic way of life. Born in communist Poland, she began her travels as a teenager and has since lived and worked in many places around the world. These experiences have expanded her world view and deepened her understanding of people and cultures. She settled in London for a while, where she studied fine art Printmaking and Photomedia at Central Saint Martins. After graduating with a Masters degree from the Royal College of Art, she became part of the vibrant film postproduction community. This was an exciting time for her as it coincided with pivotal developments in film technology, transitioning from analogue to digital photography. With her artistic eye and newly acquired expertise, Maria Agni joined a “digital lab” that produced one of the first fully digitally colour-graded and mastered films (Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, 2001). Working in the industry, she supported some of the world's best cinematographers, both in London and later in Hollywood, where she worked in companies like Netflix.

Wherever she goes and whatever she does, she is always accompanied by her camera, recording her visual experiences, re-enacting observations, all the while questioning the nature of reality and exploring the ever present conundrum: to what extent is our perceived reality a projection of our internal worlds?

The conceptual ideas behind her work, combined with her diverse combination of experiences and skills, result in a plethora of unusual ideas. Her work spans from cinematic representations of landscapes to staged portrait pieces and abstract mandala-like compositions. Maria Agni is a truly unique image maker.

This online store features Maria Agni's limited edition fine art prints, photography, and some of her original paintings and drawings.

Filmography

Self portraits