September 19, 2019
Tupac Martir: From Multimedia To Meta Morphology
Tupac Martir, dubbed the ‘Light Magician,’ is the creative genius behind Satore Studio and Co-Founder of Satore Tech. He ‘paints’ immersive multimedia to form emotional layers and ‘wow moments’ for artists and the public at large.
Inspired to push the limits of reality, Martir has explored various forms of media, combining and integrating digital technology with physical art, poetic performance, and real-time data to insight bold statements of enlightenment. His lighting direction is affiliated with the greats: Elton John, Beyoncé, Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, Sting, and many more. Sitting ‘On the Red Couch’ in the Creators’ Lab at Factory Berlin, Martir was here to unleash his latest magic – an immersive virtual reality world, a multi-sensory experience guided by sound.
Martir’s distinctive style is an ever-changing and constant collaboration nestled within a cocoon of creative mindfulness. His aim is to bring a new phenomenological ethos of meta-understanding to the forefront by creating humbling and empathetic revelations through the practice of deep observation. Through his enmeshed multimedia experience he effectively zones in on the problem of the one and the meta of many.
When people ask you what you do, how do you answer?
I have three answers. First, is the simplest: I do cool shit. Second, is that I run a kindergarten because sometimes it’s pure mayhem when you work with so many creative minds. The more adult version is something along the lines of, ‘I try to find new ways of combining technology and different techniques for new ways of storytelling.’ At the end of the day, everything that we do is based on a story. What I do as an artist is to enhance that story and make it move forward.
So, what makes a good story?
Having strong and well-developed characters. But a good character doesn’t always refer to a personality. A character can be any integral element involved in a story. It took over 8 months to develop our original concept for “The Cosmos Within Us.” During the research and development, we ensured that all characters could come alive in the story. Combining the voice-over in real time made it even more compelling to the audience, increasing that emotional bond…A good story should allow people to find a moment of themselves within and give them a chance to reflect. It should be a rediscovery in a sense.
Because of that, I tend to put massive things together. I mix ingredients and add special spices, but I am a global chef that cooks French, Asian, British, Mexican fusion. I am very universal and create a sacred little window for you to observe and capture a tasty piece of humanity.
“I love how technology can allow us to discover new things, but also how it can remind us of other times, like being kids and how those pieces of technology awoke our imagination.”
What piece of art could you stare at all day?
It’s based off of Rodin’s ‘Walking Man’ [a fine example of Futurism] and is displayed at the Tate Modern. I wrote a 25 page essay on the piece back in University and I remember that for a week, every single morning I would go to the Tate and observe it for what seemed like forever. One time, even security checked on me. It reads as non-linear, but it is linear all across so everything comes together around it. It’s beautiful.
How does the environment affect your art?
It doesn’t. I’ve been meditating for 22 years of my life. I can work almost anywhere: a couch, a kitchen, a busy cafe, a plane, or alone. Everything I need to express is within me. I have worked so much on myself, learned how to stay calm, and comfortable in my own environment. This is the one thing I can control. I meditate for about two hours daily.
It seems like you're really structured. Do you have a similar approach to your work?
(Laughs) No, thank god for my Producers and Project Managers because they are the ones that organize everything. I am a completely chaotic man who rolls with constant inputs and outputs… I like to call them boxes of toys full of different colored Legos that we put together later on.
What good advice has influenced you?
‘Don’t be afraid of fear and don’t be afraid of failing.’ I fail constantly and it’s a given that you are going to fail, but that’s how you become conscious of what you’re trying to achieve. Try again and again, just like Wily Coyote. He’s there every time…. and still hasn’t caught the Roadrunner!
The day I realized that fear existed within me was the same day I realized that it wasn’t a bad thing. Rather, it was there to help me. Fear has evolved to become my friend.
Martir brings his bad aesthetic self and his fears to the most recognizable brands and artist from fashion, music, and culture. What makes his revelations so revolutionary is his ability to stay artistically embedded within new technologies. His visions look beyond the sunrise and sunset, such as his breakthrough piece Nierka, which enabled him to see the world differently. He continues to design interactive worlds that feel natural, but are in fact meta-mutli-media bombs of simulation, taking the viewer’s inner-self through an unexpected journey of ‘cool shit.’
