Teresa Casanueva and Maria Otterbein
Lines Fiction: Your animations depict abstract processes that evoke both technical systems and organic matter. Can you describe what underlies this approach?
Maria Otterbein: Our animations essentially consist of many layers that interact with each other. In
[IM]PULS Vol. 1, the main motif is enveloped by a combination of events. Contrasts are created through different formal languages, their consistency, properties and structures. Elements grow, change or disappear. They display a wide range of movements, which we complemented with nuanced sounds. The pulsating rhythm that accompanies the animation feels intensely physical — we’ve even heard it described as heart-racing. Another dimension of atmosphere is created through light, which contributes to the sense of spatial depth.
Teresa Casanueva: The entire work is based on phenomena and logic found in nature. This endless wealth of possibilities is both our source and our teacher in developing our own construct and visual language within the piece. The organic and the mechanical form a union—both conceptually and functionally. While each follows different principles and originates from distinct realms, there are parallels in structure, function, and adaptability. These are complex systems composed of various interconnected units that operate toward a shared goal. I would say these are networks that closely reflect the nature of our collaborative work and the way we interact—our interwoven processes flow together in a way that inspires and fertilizes creativity.
Lines Fiction: You work together on your animations, how long have you been collaborating?
Teresa Casanueva and Maria Otterbein: Our first collaborative clips were created in 2022 — short sequences using found materials in stop motion combined with digital animation approaches. These clips serve as references for us, or as a kind of digital sketchbook we like to revisit. We are connected by a friendship and a shared passion for animation. Our collaboration became more concrete when we came across the open call to participate in the Lines Fiction film reel. That call marked the beginning of our first joint journey into a longer-term project. But this is just the beginning — we already have more projects in the works for the future.
Lines Fiction: We’re especially glad to hear that! Can you describe how your collaboration helps you grow and what you particularly enjoy about working together?
Teresa Casanueva: For us, collaboration is a truly enriching experience. Since it’s primarily about communication, the process becomes an exciting and dynamic journey that we embark on together. Working dialogically means engaging in a creative exchange built on mutual understanding. And this dynamic — where each of us brings in ideas and responds to the other’s suggestions — sparks new impulses. It’s a kind of enjoyable clash of input, where two perspectives merge. Through this interplay, a new soundscape emerges.
Maria Otterbein: What makes it especially exciting is that we both dive into the animation process without a pre-existing storyboard. We move with the visual world, creating and integrating elements into the composition both together and independently. Decisions and adjustments are discussed, tested, and often require compromise. Our collaboration unfolds quite organically, driven by the motivation and joy the process brings us. Additionally, our different backgrounds and experiences enrich the work: each of us contributes skills that benefit both of us.
Lines Fiction: As artists, do you also work solo and in other contexts?
Teresa Casanueva: I work both independently and occasionally with others on collaborative projects. There are many different reasons that can lead to a cooperation. My solo projects in the field of animation tend to be abstract and have a distinctly graphic character. In these works, drawing plays a very prominent and powerful role. Within the context of animation, drawing finds a space with expansive possibilities. Movement, time, transformation, and sound are qualities that the moving image offers. In my artistic practice—across painting, graphics, drawing, and objects—time and space play a central role. Animation provides me with an ideal environment that, through the intrinsic qualities of the medium, adds a new dimension of expression.
Maria Otterbein: As an artist, I predominantly work independently or, depending on the project, currently in close collaboration with Teresa. My forms of expression include digital media such as animation, 3D modeling, and sound design. The latter is an important complementary tool for me to convey moods, create atmosphere, and emphasize character traits. Movement plays a central role in my creative process. From it, I generate digital images, among other things. These are essentially still images, which I then place in different contexts or further transform. The animations, which are primarily created in 3D space, serve as a kind of image repository and offer a wide range of possibilities. Another field I am currently exploring is the virtual world. Fully immersing myself in an animated landscape is a wonderful experience.
Lines Fiction: Do your animations originate from drawings?
Teresa Casanueva and Maria Otterbein: Our animations combine both digital and analog techniques. This approach allows us to explore a wide range of forms of expression. The medium of drawing is always very present. Works on paper are scanned and further processed. We also animate drawn and graphic elements created directly within the composition and add specific properties to them.