Michelle-Marie Letelier

The main body of her work is based on landscape studies, particularly from areas in which mineral resources are exploited. Michelle-Marie Letelier is especially interested in the topographic and social changes connected with the dismantling of a landscape.

She spent eight years of her early life in Chuquicamata—the biggest open-pit copper mine in the world—located in the middle of the Atacama Desert, in the north of Chile. When, due to environmental contamination and rising fuel costs, the mine was due to be buried, Letelier returned to document this process using video and photography.

Since moving to Berlin in 2007, Letelier has continued her subject focusing not only on copper, but also coal, which historically is the most important energy source in Germany. This mineral also has become an object itself within her work, used in drawings, paintings and installations.

The work of Michelle-Marie Letelier is seen as socio-politically relevant, especially in times of globalization, the increasing scarcity of raw materials and the crisis of the neoliberal model.

She is continuing exploring other raw materials and intercontinental trades topics.

Education:

2011
Interactivity Aesthetics Workshop, Tutor: Don Ritter. Berlin, Germany

2007-2008
Experimental Media Design, UDK-Berlin. Guest Student. Specialized Class, Maria Vedder and Camera Seminar, Stefanie Gaus

2003
Video Tutorial Program, Universidad de Artes, Ciencias y Comunicación (UNIACC), Santiago, Chile

1998
Sound Workshop, Tutor: Hans Peter Kuhn. Goethe Institut and Contemporary Art Museum, Santiago, Chile

1996-2000
Bachelor in Fine Arts, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Solo Exhibitions:

2012
DOOMED SCAPE, Perlini Arte Gallery, Padua, Italy

2009
DIE FEINFÜHLIGEZONE, Die Ecke Gallery, Santiago, Chile

2005
-MOMENTS, UNIACC School of Arts
-DESCENSO, Espacio-G Gallery, Valparaíso, Chile

2004
ERASE, BECH Gallery, Santiago. CODELCO Borough Building, Calama, Chile

2002
A CONTRALUZ, Itinerant Gallery, Santiago, Chile

Selected Group Exhibitions:

2012
-OUT OF THE GRAY, Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, USA
-X VIDEO AND MEDIA ARTS BIENNIAL, Museum of Contemporary Art, Santiago, Chile
-RETORNA, Spanish Cultural Centre, Santiago, Chile
-THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ORIGINAL, Perlini Arte Gallery, Padua, Italy

2011 -ZEICHNUNGEN, K-Salon, Berlin
-FUSION OF THE DIVIDE, Candid Arts Trust, London, UK
-SALON ART PRIZE 2011, Matt Roberts Arts, London, UK

2010
GLASS CRASH FEELING - GOLDRAUSCH 2010, September Gallery and Barbara Thumm Projektraum, Berlin, Germany

2009
WEGE ZUR KUNST, Wasserturm, Vienna, Austria

2008
IN/OUT CHINA. East Asia Contemporary Art Space, Shanghai, China


2007
-HANDLE WITH CARE. Museum of Contemporary Art, Santiago, Chile
-PEEPSHOW. Gallery 54, Göteborg, Sweden
-AIRVIDEO 3: ALTERNATIVE POSSIBLE WORLD. AirSpace Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent, UK
-EL MANIFIESTO DE SANTIAGO. Cultural Center Matucana 100, Santiago, Chile

Selected screenings:

2011
RETORNA, CHILEAN VIDEOART FOR EXPORT, Gabriela Mistral Gallery, Santiago, Chile

2008
WORLD ONE MINUTE, Citypulse Collection (Chile). Cultural program of the Olympics, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China

2007
POLITICAL LANDSCAPE: NEW CHILEAN VIDEOART, curated by Paz Guevara. Kunsthalle Lichtenberg, Berlin, Germany

2006
-FIRST INTERNATIONAL VIDEO & FILM SEASON ALBIAC, Nature Park of Olmería, Valencia, Spain
-CITYPULSE FESTIVAL, Extension Center of Catholic University, Santiago, Chile

2005
-OTRA PICHANGA: ANOTHER CHILEAN EXPERIMENT. Monkey Town Gallery, New York, USA
-NEXT FESTIVAL: SECOND VILNIUS INDEPENTENT FILM & VIDEO FESTIVAL. Vilnius, Lithuania