Visual Storytelling Across Film and Canvas: A Conversation with Contemporary Artist Elise Coker
- Selfless Art Gallery
- Jul 20
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 15
Elise Coker is a contemporary artist and award-winning documentary filmmaker whose work bridges the worlds of visual storytelling and conceptual painting. Known for her deeply observational films and hauntingly atmospheric paintings, Elise explores themes of ideology, tradition, and the human imprint on landscapes shaped by conflict and industrialization. From collaborations with Netflix and The New York Times to solo painting series inspired by military exercises and personal memories, she continues to expand the boundaries of what it means to document truth through both lens and brush.
In this exclusive interview, we delve into Elise’s artistic background, her transition from film to painting, and how she navigates the emotional and political landscapes that inform her work. Whether capturing the quiet tension of a geopolitical flashpoint or the intimacy of a long-forgotten room, Elise invites us to reflect on the fragility and resilience of the spaces we inhabit.
Q: Let’s start off with a fun icebreaker: If your artistic process had a soundtrack, what genre would it be—and what would the opening track be?
A: — Probably Krautrock, like Harmonia and Kraftwerk. The opening track would probably be “Neon Lights” by Kraftwerk. To me, Kraftwerk perfectly encapsulates something similar to what I try to capture in my paintings—this interplay of a mechanical world and a biological world.
Q: Tell us about your background. Where did you grow up, and how did your early environment shape your creative perspective?
A: — I grew up in New Jersey and, as a teenager, spent a lot of time commuting into Manhattan for various things. I loved the landscape of the swamplands between Newark and the Hudson—something of an industrial wasteland, yet nestled into this unique natural environment. My dad is Turkish, so we’d spend most summers in Turkey. I remember seeing lots of construction near our house, situated against old military infrastructure, all in a landscape written many times over with human history. Those juxtapositions left an impression on me.
Q: Your films often focus on the intersection of ideology, tradition, and human nature. How do you balance objectivity with empathy in your storytelling?
A: — This is a question that never really has one answer. My goal is to come away from any story with my own nuanced understanding of a situation, and then my job is to translate that complexity into a narrative that others can access. I try my best to represent things as they are, to the best of my ability; my goal is that the people being portrayed will recognize themselves and feel that it’s accurate, even if others disagree with their perspectives. I aim to let people’s actions and words speak for themselves, and I think that’s the best aspect of observational storytelling.
Q: From Netflix and VICE to PBS and The New York Times, you’ve collaborated with a wide range of platforms. How do you maintain your voice while working within different editorial environments?
A: — You trust your vision and continue to advocate for it while also being aware of a platform’s specific needs and listening to the ideas and critiques of others. Every story is different, every team is different, and the landscape of media and technology is constantly changing—so there’s no one answer to this question.
Q: Shifting from film to your visual art, your paintings often reflect the environments you document—sometimes directly inspired by your own footage. How does painting allow you to explore these themes differently than film?
A: — A film is a very complex undertaking, both to make and to watch. It takes time, money, and extensive collaboration to make a film, and a time commitment of hours to sit down and view one. A painting, on the other hand, is a solo endeavor resulting in a singular physical object. The process of distilling images from places I’ve been and footage I’ve gathered into individual moments that can exist in a physical space—outside of the context of the more complex narrative in which they’re situated, while still in dialogue with it—is kind of a meditation for me.
Q: In both your films and paintings, you portray landscapes marked by human industry and conflict. What do these marks reveal about us as a species?
A: — So much of what our society has built has become a permanent part of the planet—from our cities to our infrastructure to our trash. As far as we know, this level of development is unprecedented for any species, and I find that simultaneously horrifying and beautiful.
Q: Building on that, your Airspace series, based on Taiwan’s annual military exercise, carries a sense of what some might call a beautiful disaster. What led you to portray it in such a poetic, layered way? A: — These paintings are singular, distilled moments within an intense and complicated geopolitical context—but when taken alone, they are almost serene. There’s a sense of being both extremely present and removed at the same time, like watching a bomb explode in the distance. The heat is coming, but there’s nothing you can do about it—and in the meantime, it’s also beautiful. There’s a feeling of momentum, something set in motion but not quite at its conclusion. That, in a way, is optimistic. The most destructive path can still be averted.
Q: Looking ahead, what’s next for you? Are there any upcoming projects or new directions you’re excited to explore?
A: — I’ve been working on a series that’s more personal and intimate, portraying interior spaces of places I’ll never return to. I’m interested in capturing the feeling of when being somewhere is so familiar that you take your own presence there for granted—and then one day, you leave and never go back. These new pieces will be done sometime later this year!
Through her dual practice in film and visual art, Elise offers a rare and layered perspective on contemporary art’s role in documenting history, memory, and the emotional undertones of global events. Her ability to balance objectivity with empathy, and narrative with abstraction, marks her as a vital voice among today’s emerging artists. As she continues to evolve her practice—shifting from expansive geopolitical narratives to more personal, interior reflections—Elise reminds us that the most powerful stories often live in the quiet spaces between art and reality.
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