A journey beyond our realm @maria_almena_

Dear Diary,

I am Maria Almena, Spanish London-based creative director of Kimatica Studio, art curator and a multimedia artist. I’ve always been passionate about technology, and how it can bring magic to our world. What draws me to that intersection between tech and ancient ritual is really m

y fascination with the ethereal and spiritual layers of existence; the non-tangible, emotional, subconscious layer. I’ve always felt connected with that type of realm. At some point, I started exploring that connection more deeply by going to ceremonies and rituals.

In Spain, a lot of artists are spiritual people, I would say. That sensibility really pushed me to explore more of what’s out there. But also, in my country, most of the spirituality that isn't connected to religion got wiped out by the Inquisition — which was basically a religious war. So in Spain we lost a lot of that. But we have a lot of Latin American people, and they carry these traditions of paganism and shamanism. I began doing ceremonies with them — that was my first real inspiration. From there, I practiced more, explored further... even Celtic rituals. I believe rituals are very important for our society.

Audience interaction really depends on the piece. Sometimes our performances are more like installations, where the audience is a true participant — they help create the artwork with their presence and interaction. Other times it’s more of a stage performance, where people are observers. But in this new phase, we want to go more immersive — combining both. Moments where people co-create with us, and moments where we guide them. Because, truthfully, audiences need guidance. That’s why they come. But we also want to give them space to feel they are a real part of the project, because they are.

Altered states of consciousness have always fascinated me. Dreaming is one, and so is flow. But the one I’m most drawn to is trance. Trance through repetitive dancing has been used throughout history. If you can let yourself go in it, if you really lose yourself, you can expand your consciousness. Maybe not even expand; more like, leaving behind the conscious mind and making space to connect with the subconscious. It's something we already do when we dream. But when we dance for hours... we’re not thinking. We’re present. We become sensitive to everyone’s energy. That’s where Transcendence comes in, and that’s how we try to guide people to enter that state. I believe these states are vital. Society is too small-minded. People are stuck in their heads, thinking too much and feeling too little. That’s why mental health is suffering. This project helps reconnect us with our emotions and even the spiritual realm, because I think that’s where you have answers to the most wanted existential questions. 

Kimatica Studio (2012) Simulacrum [Image]. Available at: https://kimatica.net/project/simulacrum/ (Accessed: 3 June 2025).

Looking back, the piece that changed me the most as an artist was the first one: Simulacrum. It was the first ever piece I created with Kimatica Studio, and the first time I performed myself. That’s also when we started using body mapping technology. That project truly changed me; I saw the potential of how art could be therapeutic  because I felt it on myself. Before that, I was working as a costume designer for films. After Simulacrum, my partner (my business and love partner) and I scrapped our previous careers and decided to focus on Kimatica. That was 2012. And we’ve been on this path ever since.

Until we meet on the other side,

Maria