Marge Monko
In her work, Marge Monko combines photography, video, sculpture, sound, found footage and installation to formulate social observations based on theories from psychoanalysis, feminism and visual culture.
Recently she has been strongly concerned with the mechanisms of advertising and consumption.
Selected Works
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Marge Monko, Window Shopping (2014-2021)
London (March, 1912), Westmanni äri (Tallinn), Handschuh Christl (Vienna)
Ruys (Antwerp), Boon (Antwerp), Berlin (April 7, 1965)
92 cm x 309 cm, framed -
Marge Monko, Window Shopping (2014-2021)
New York (August 10,1958), Cavalli (New York City)
101 cm x 61,5 cm, framed -
NEW YORK, August 10, 1958. A crowd looks at the broken window of Tiffany’s jewelry store on Fifth Avenue after thieves robbed the store of $171,500 worth of jewelry. The robbery took place while the officer on the beat was called away for temporary emergency duty to help guard the Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko who attended the U.N. General Assembly meeting. Photo: United Press International.
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Marge Monko, Window Shopping (2014-2021)
Houston, Texas (September 12, 1961), Shoe shop (Ghent), Schütz (New York City),
Calvin Klein (New York City), Dolce & Gabbana (Vienna), Narva (February, 1919)
92 cm x 309 cm, framed -
Marge Monko
Videostill 'Sheer Indulgence', 16 mm transferred to digital, sound, 8 min 4 sec, 2021 -
Marge Monko
Videostill 'Sheer Indulgence', 16 mm transferred to digital, sound, 8 min 4 sec, 2021 -
Marge Monko
Videostill 'Sheer Indulgence', 16 mm transferred to digital, sound, 8 min 4 sec, 2021 -
Marge Monko 'Untitled Photogram #1'
35 x 26,5 cm, Photogram on gelatin silver print, 2014 -
Marge Monko, Untitled Photograms, Installation view in Kai Art Center, 2021
Photo: Mari Volens -
Exhibitions
'Do I Know What It Is, From Which None Can Escape' ‒ Marge Monko
-Window Shopping ‒ Marge Monko
-ERIKA HOCK 'We never grow tired of each other.' Part one – hosting: Marge Monko ‒ Erika Hock, Marge Monko
-Window Shopping
A text by Magdalena Kröner
“...how will the retail store look tomorrow? In what direction will its decoration and sales policy develop? What will be modern tomorrow? What can we rely on?” In 1930, the Austrian-American architect and sculptor Friedrich Kiesler opened his groundbreaking treatise on “The Ideology of the Show Window” with fundamental questions.
In her current series “Window Shopping”, the Estonian artist Marge Monko, born in 1976, proves that these questions are still valid today, transcending the mere culture of product presentation.
In her work, Marge Monko combines photography, video, sculpture, sound, found footage and installation to formulate social observations based on theories from psychoanalysis, feminism and visual culture. Recently she has been strongly concerned with the mechanisms of advertising and consumption. For „Window Shopping“ she transfers the perception and evaluation of an initial architectural situation oriented towards the seemingly mundane - as in this case the shop window - into conceptual sequences of images.
„Window Shopping“ borrows the title from the book of the same name by the American media theorist Anne Friedberg, who, in turning away from the dominance of a central, static, all-overview perspective postulated by Michel Foucault for the 19th century, adopts an understanding of a „mobilized, virtual gaze that is more appropriate to the postmodern constitution ‚ as the individual‘s way of relating to the world. Monko‘s photographs play through this constitution using the example of window shopping. To this end, she creates a consistently subjective cataloging of various conventions of window dressing in cities such as Antwerp, Tallinn and Manhattan in an apparently documentary manner.
In her approach, however, the artist not only refers to the photographic process, but predominantly seeks to trace and make aware of the path of perception characterized by Friedberg.
The sequentially arranged rows of images are interrupted and flanked by historical black-and-white photographs, such as a view of destroyed shop windows in Narva in 1919, during the Estonian War of Independence. Another of the historical photographic documents shows a young woman in Belgrade standing proudly in front of a facade with shop windows draped in white cloth.
In her work, Monko formulates less an analysis and criticism of the commodity fetish of western industrialized nations; rather, she shows shop windows mainly in their ambivalence: shop windows mark visible but inaccessible spaces; they are public but also private. They reveal as much as they hide.
The neoliberal promise that everyone can have and become what they desire - all of this is condensed in the staging of the shop windows: only a thin slice separates those who offer something from those who desire it. The shop window as a contemporary treasury and warning sign: it is hardly surprising that shop windows are always the first targets of attacks when there is political upheaval in a society.
„...Wie wird das Geschäft von morgen aussehen? In welche Richtung werden sich seine Dekorations- und Verkaufs-Strategien entwickeln? Was wird morgen modern sein? Auf was können wir uns verlassen?“ Es sind grundsätzliche Fragen, mit denen der österreichisch-amerikanische Architekt und Bildhauer Friedrich Kiesler im Jahr 1930 seine wegweisende Abhandlung zur „Ideologie des Schaufensters“ eröffnet.
Dass diese Fragen weit über die reine Kultur der Warenpräsentation hinaus bis heute Gültigkeit besitzen, weist die 1976 geborene, aus Estland stammende Künstlerin Marge Monko in ihrer aktuellen Werkreihe „Window Shopping“ nach.
Marge Monko verbindet in ihrer Arbeit Fotografie, Video, Skulptur, Sound, Found Footage und Installation, um gesellschaftliche Beobachtungen anhand von Theorien aus Psychoanalyse, Feminismus und visueller Kultur zu formulieren. In jüngster Zeit befasst sie sich verstärkt mit den Wirkunsgmechanismen von Werbung und Konsum. Für „Window Shopping“ überführt sie eine am scheinbar Alltäglichen orientierte Wahrnehmung und Bewertung einer architektonischen Ausgangssituation - wie in diesem Fall dem Schaufenster - in konzeptuelle Bildsequenzen.
„Window Shopping“ entleiht den Titel dem gleichnamigen Buch der amerikanischen Medientheoretikerin Anne Friedberg, die in Abkehr der von Michel Foucault für das 19. Jahrhundert postulierten Dominanz einer zentralen, statischen, alles überblickenden Perspektive ein der postmodernen Verfaßtheit adäquateres Verständnis eines „mobilisierten, virtuellen Blicks“ als Bezugsform des Individuums zur Welt vorschlug. Monkos Fotografien spielen diese Verfaßtheit am Beispiel des im Deutschen einigermaßen unzureichend als Schaufensterbummel übersetzten Window Shopping durch. Dafür erarbeitet sie in einem nur scheinbar dokumentarischen Gestus eine durchgängig subjektive Katalogisierung verschiedener Konventionen des Window Dressing in Städten wie Antwerpen, Tallinn oder Manhattan.
Die Künstlerin bezieht sich in ihrem Vorgehen jedoch nicht nur auf den fotografischen Prozeß, sondern sucht vor allem den von Friedberg charakterisierten Wahrnehmungsweg nachzuzeichnen und bewußt zu machen.
Unterbrochen und flankiert werden die sequentiell arrangierten Bildreihungen von historischen Schwarz-Weiß-Fotografien, wie etwa einer Ansicht zerstörter Schaufenster in Narva im Jahr 1919, während des Estnischen Freiheitskrieges. Ein anderes der historischen Bilddokumente zeigt eine junge Frau in Belgrad, die stolz vor einer Fassade mit weiß verhängten Schaufenstern steht.
In ihrer Arbeit formuliert Monko weniger eine Analyse und Kritik des Warenfetisch der westlichen Industrienationen; vielmehr zeigt sie Schaufenster vor allem in ihren Ambivalenzen: Schaufenster markieren sichtbare, aber unzugängliche Räume; sie sind öffentlich, aber auch privat. Sie offenbaren ebenso viel wie sie verbergen.
Das neoliberale Versprechen, dass jeder haben und werden kann, wonach es ihn verlangt – all dies kondensiert in den Inszenierungen der Schaufenster: nur eine dünne Scheibe trennt die, die etwas anbieten, von jenen, die es begehren. Das Schaufenster als zeitgenössische Schatzkammer und Menetekel: es verwundert kaum, dass Schaufenster stets die ersten Ziele von Angriffen sind, wenn es zu politischem Umstürzen in einer Gesellschaft kommt.
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
BIOGRAPHY
Born 1976 in Tallinn, Estonia
lives and works in Tallinn, Estonia
EDUCATION
2013-2015
Higher Institute for Fine Arts, Ghent, Belgium
2011
Baltic Film and Media School, MA in directing (unfinished)
2005-2008
Estonian Academy of Arts, photography, MA
2004
University of Applied Arts, Vienna (Erasmus exchange)
2002-2005
Estonian Academy of Arts, photography, BA
AWARDS AND RESIDENCIES
2018
Videobrasil residency, Sao Paulo
2017
Para Site residency, Hongkong
2016
KulturKontakt Residency in Vienna, Austria
2015
ISCP (International Studio & Curatorial Program), New Yorks, U.S.A.
2014
Marl Media Art Awards 2014, nomination
2012
Köler Prize 2012, nomination
2012
Henkel. Art. Award 2012, winner
2010
ProHelvetia residency program. PROGR, Bern, Switzerland
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022
The A.B.C.D.E.F.G. of Love, Hobusepea gallery, Tallinn. Duo show with Maruša Sagadin
2021
Great Pretender, Kai Art Center, Tallinn. Duo show with Gabriele Beveridge
We Never Grow Tired of Each Other. Cosar HMT, Düsseldorf. Duo show with Erika Hock
2020
Flawless Seamless. Galerie Russi Klenner, Berlin, Germany
2019
Diamonds Against Stones, Folkwang Museum, Essen, Germany
2018
Duo show with Melanie Bonajo, Neue Galerie, Innsbruck International
Curated by Chris Clarke
Women of the World, Raise Your Right Hand, Ani Molnar Gallery, Budapest
Diamonds Against Stones, Stones Against Diamonds, Tallinn City Gallery
Curated by Evelien Bracke
2017
Seamless, Flawless. Installatio n, Freedom Square, Tallinn
Gevaert as Image (with Katrin Kamrau), Fotomuseum Antwerp, Belgium
2016
Hips Don‘t Lie, Hobusepea gallery, Tallinn
2014
You, Hop Gallery, Tallinn
2013
How To Wear Red, mumok, Vienna
How To Wear Red, Tartu Art Museum, Estonia. Curated by Rael Artel
2011
Tell me, Platan Gallery, Polish Institute in Budapest
2010
Shaken Not Stirred, Gallery of Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia
2009
Bread and Roses, Draakoni Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2008
Marge Monko and Tanja Muravskaja, Hobusepea Gallery, Tallinn
2007
Studies of Bourgeoisie, Finnish Museum of Photography, Helsinki, Finland
Tell me, Tallinn City Gallery
2006
Studies of Bourgeoisie, Hobusepea Gallery, Tallinn
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023
Phantoms and other Illusions, KAI 10, Düsseldorf
Mimikry, COSAR, Düsseldorf
2022
Modern Love (or Love in the Age of Cold Intimacies). National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens.
Curated by Katerina Gregos
2021
Art in the Comfort Zone? The 2000s in Estonian Art. Kumu Art Museum.
Curated by Eha Komissarov ja Triin Tulgiste
Maternal. Museum of Contemporary Art of the University of Mexico (UNAM).
Curated Helena Chavez Mac Gregor, Alejandra Labastida
Modern Love (or Love in the Age of Cold Intimacies) Centraal Museum. Utrecht, Netherlands.
Curated by Katerina Gregos
Modern Love (or Love in the Age of Cold Intimacies). Tallinn Art Hall. Curated by Katerina Gregos
Landscapes of Identity. Estonian Art 1700-1945. Curated by Linda Kaljundi and Kadi Polli
2020
Modern Love (or Love in the Age of Cold Intimacies). Museum für Neue Kunst Freiburg,
Germany. Curated by Katerina Gregos
Public Relations. Stadtgalerie Kiel, Germany. Curated by Sönke Kniphals
2019
Orient V. Fotograf Festival, Prague. Curated by Michal Novotny
Open Collections. The Artist Takes a Floor. Kumu Art Museum. Curated by Eha Komissarov
Shelf Life. Kunsthalle Amsterdam in Boven’t Y winkelcentrum.
Curated by Bas Hendrikx.
Published by Lugemik. Printed matter from 2010-2019.
Estonian Museum of Disain and Applied Art
2018
Sometimes I Can See It All Perfectly. Gallery Soy Capitan, Berlin. Invited by Alisha Danscher
Display. PLATO, Ostrava. Czech Republic. Curated by Michal Novotny
Border Poetics. Estonian art 1918-2018. Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.
Curated by Eha Komissarov
Related By Sister Languages. Ludwig Museum Budapest. Curated by Krisztina Szipös
Orient. Bunkier Sztuki Gallery, Krakow, Poland. Curated by Michal Novotny
Crush. Para Site, Hong Kong. Curated by Chang Qu
Archaeology of the Screen. Kumu Art Museum
Curated by by Eha Komissarov and Triin Tulgiste
Everything Was Forever, Until It Was No More.
Riga International Biennial for Contemporary Art. Curated by Katerina Gregos
Estonian Contemporary Art in European Central Bank in Frankfurt.
Curated by Britta Von Campenhausen
2017
Archeology of the Screen. Bozar, Brussels. Curated by Eha Komissarov
It Won‘t Be Long Now, Comrades! Framer Framed, Amsterdam. Curated by Katia
Krupennikova and Inga Lace
Summer of Love. Art Space Pythagorion, Samos, Greece. Curated by Katerina Gregos
Situations. Fotomuseum Winterthur, Switzerland
2016
Playground festival, M Museum, Leuven, Belgium. Curated by Eva Wittockx
An Open Relationship With Your Image, Urlaub Project Space, Berlin
Let It Shine, Ani Molnar Gallery, Budapest.
2016
Kumu Hits. Kumu Art Museum, Tallinn.
Curated by Kati Ilves, Eha Komissarov and Annika Räim
Vigies and Co. Centres d’art de Dudelange, France
Curated by Béatrice Josse and Danielle Igniti
2015
From Explosion To Expanse. Estonian Contemporary Photography 1991-2015
Tartu Art Museum, Estonia. Curated by Anneli Porri
All Men Become Sisters. Muzeum Sztuki Lodz, Poland. Curated by Joanna Sokolowska
There is absolutely No cause for Alarm, Unseen festival, De Punt, Amsterdam
Curated by Katia Krupennikova
Inside Out, Ani Molnar Gallery, Budapest. Curated by Tünde Török
2015
Kilometre of Sculpture, Võru, Estonia. Curated by Andreas Nilsson
EX & POST, Australian Centre for Photography, Paddington
Curated by Sári Stenczer and Krisztina Erdei
2014
Red Dawn. Laureates 2014 exhibition, HISK, Ghent, Belgium
Curated by Gertrud Sandqvist
Telling Tales. Swiss and Baltic artists. Kumu Art Museum, Tallinn
Curated by Felicity Lunn and Ragne Nukk
Selective Memory. Lewis Glucksman Gallery, University College Cork, Ireland
Curated by Christopher Clarke.
Present Tense, Kalmar Art Museum, Sweden. Curated by Marianna Garin and Andres Kurg
Marl Media Art Awards (exhibition of the nominees), Skulpturenmuseum Marl, Germany
The Hypnotist Collector, NauArt Gallery, Barcelona. Curated by Stacey Koosel
Viewfinders. Contemporary Baltic and Nordic Photography, Riga Art Space, Latvia.
Curated by Inga Bruvere
Carnations and Tulips, Fuga Gallery Budapest, Hungary
Curated by Rebeka Põldsam
Telling Tales, Centre Pasquart, Biel, Switzerland
Curated by Felicity Lunn
2013
Economy, Center for Contemporary Art, Glasgow
Curated by Angela Dimitrakaki and Kirsten Lloyd
Make an effort. Or, failing that, invent, Bétonsalon, Paris
Curated by Aliocha Imhoff & Kantuta Quiros
2012
Manifesta 9, Genk, Belgium. Curated by Cuauhtémoc Medina & Katerina Gregos
Köler Prize 2012 exhibition, Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia
Archaeology and the Future of Estonian Art Scenes, Kumu Art Museum, Tallinn
Curated by Rael Artel, Hilkka Hiiop, Kati Ilves and Eha Komissarov
2011
Generation of the the Place: Image, Memory and Fiction in the Baltics
Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia. Curated by Vytautas Michelkevicius.
Confrontations and Provocations, National Museum in Warsaw, Poland
Curated by Eha Komissarov
Water – Sense and Sensation, Wäinö Aaltonen Museum of Art, Turku, Finland
Curated by Johanna Kurth
2010
Confrontations and Provocations, Museum of Contemporary Art,
dept. of the National Museum in Szczecin, Poland. Curated by Eha Komissarov
Artishok Biennale, Tartu Art House, Estonia. Curated by Kati Ilves
Take Care. Politics of Emacipation, Amos Anderson Art Museum, Helsinki, Finland
Curated by Jaana Kokko and Johannes Saar
2009
Blue-Collar Blues, Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia. Curated by Anders Härm
Poses and Neuroses. Self-Portraits, Kumu Art Museum, Tallinn, Estonia.
Curated by Kädi Talvoja
Doings or Not, Hobusepea Gallery, Talinn, Estonia
Curated by Laura Kuusk and Margit Säde
2008
Insanity, Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia. Curated by Dénes Farkas
Doings or Not, Vžigalica Gallery, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Curated by Laura Kuusk and Margit Säde
Plaisirs de l’imagination, Castle of Tours, France. Curated by Eha Komissarov
Border Country, Art Museum of Guangzhou Academy of Art, China.
Curated by Reet Varblane
2007
Cropped Dreams and Irritators, Jeune création européenne, Biennale of Emerging art, Montrouge, France.
Consequences and Proposals, Biennale of Young Artists, Tallinn
Curated by Anneli Porri and Rael Artel