Monika Balu | Artist & Photographer

The podcast is now released!

When the sunlight strikes raindrops in the air, they act like a prism and form a rainbow.

For my first ever podcast recording, I invited Rein Jelle Terpstra to discuss the relationship between sound and image, the impact of memory and absence, and how communication has changed as a result of the ongoing pandemic. Throughout the conversation, we speak to our artistic practice, elaborate on the position as makers using photography, and share our experiences of excessive self-awareness when using online communication tools during the pandemic. The loss of hearing and vision is a recurring theme in the podcast.

How can we expand our understanding of sound through vision? What memories are easier to keep; those consisting of images or of sounds? And what does the creation of a rainbow have to do with these subjects? Tune in and listen to what we have to say about it.

Moderated by Jennifer Muntslag !

Thank you FOTODOK for making it possible!

You can watch it on Youtube or listen on Spotify. The choice is yours!

Performative public intervention

BECOMING MOVABLE STATUES

Last Saturday (June 12) between 11:00-17:00, we, FOTODOK Lighthouse participants, transformed the public space of Utrecht with our three dimensional interactive outfits!

After a long time of closed cultural institutions, everyone is eager for art again. Fortunately, we couldn't wait to share and let a new audience experience our new works. With the goal to talk to each other, to inspire, connect and to be able to breathe art again.

Our group took up the challenge to create an unforgettable day for the public. We became moving statues to reach a broader audience. Each project focuses on an urgent topic in society. We provide necessary new insights and perspectives.

It was a tiring but wonderful experience!

I presented my ongoing project Face Beak & Topohpones

Documentation photographs by Martha Stroo (FOTODOK)

guerilla art group herman de vries

performance on the mediamarkt roof in groningen, 12:00-13:00, june 5

since april i joined a guerilla art group to collaborate on manifestations for herman de vries 90th birthday exhibition at artisbook stichting and galerie block c in groningen. starting from the next saturday (june 19), we are organising a series of workshops for the little ones. join us!

A short documentary

While I was working on HUGLOVES in Leeuwarden, a group of NHL Stenden students approached me. Together we worked on a short documentary about my journey as an artist. It is truly fascinating to see how they created various footage elements to communicate my ideas.

A half-a-year working grant from Lithuanian Council for Culture!

I am happy to announce that my research & project "Photographic Strategies for Hearing Perception" will be developed with the help from Lithuania! Thank you!

COLLECTIVE talent development program

More than a month ago, I joined a talent development program for artists living in the North of the Netherlands. We were divided into small groups of 5 in order to help each other out with the development of our projects. To make these critique sessions less terrifying, we followed the Feedback method developed by DasArts. I must say I enjoyed all of the sessions and our imaginary exhibition openings with a glass of also imaginary champagne. The program will conclude with a written essay by Henrike Scholten in a printed publication. Can't wait!

RECORDING A PODCAST FOR THE FIRST TIME!

On May 18, I recorded my very first podcast! The session was moderated by Jennifer Munstlag, and I invited Rein Jelle Terpstra to discuss relationship between sound and image, memory and absence, and communication during the pandemic. Thank you very much for joining! The podcast will soon be published online!

BECOMING MOVABLE STATUES CROWDFUNDING

FOTODOK Lighthouse crowdfunding campaign has been succesful! Thank you everyone for supporting us and our performative public intervention Becoming Movable Statues!

See you at the Dom Square in Utrecht on June 12 between 11:00-17:00!

HANNIBAL COMPETITION

Group exhibition at Galerie Forma Aktua in Groningen, NL

April 27 - May 23, 2021

While visiting the exhibition, you can vote for your favourite artist!

2-week residency WINDOWSHOPPERS at Neushoorn in Leeuwarden organised by Noordenaars.

SLOW COLLECTIVE LANDSCAPE project received a LF-2028 Bonus prize!

It is an honour to receive this prize for the Slow Collective Landscape project and listen to the wonderful speech by the deputy of Fryslân, Klaas Fokkinga.

This summer, the project will result to an outdoor exhibition as part of Stinzenroute in Buitenpost and Kollum!

Last December I got invited to participate in the exhibition about shame. I hesitated, because I don't like talking about it through my artistic practice. I rather focus on the positive message. Though it is crucial to share. For the exhibition, I prepared a photograph of the hearing aid attached to my right ear, and a hand-written quote taken from the interviews I conducted during 2018-2020. This work reflects on my first encounter with hearing aids and how much shame I felt wearing it.

It is 7th image from the left bottom corner.

"Three Acts: A Survey of Shame, Emotion and Oblivion"

March 6 - April 25, 2021

Curated by Mark Sink in collaboration with Todd Edward Herman, Denver College Club, Alto Gallery and the Unperson Project, 3 Acts braids three unique collaborations into one exhibit at RedLine for Month of Photography exhibition. Todd Edward Herman, founder of east window exhibit space in Boulder, offers Shame Radiant, a collective photography project, which explores themes of shame and privilege. Denver Collage Club and Alto Gallery join forces for the second act that dives into the phenomenon of Cancel Culture and the existential crisis spurred by the pandemic. The final act features the Unperson Project, an archive of oblivion from the curatorial duo from Mexico City, Andrea Tejeda and Susana Moyaho. Together, Three Acts carry the sentiment, crisis and response to the times.

RedLine Contemporary Art Center

2350 Arapahoe Street

Denver, CO 80205

www.redlineart.org

Read the statement of the exhibition here.

More installation shots here.

Excerpts from Shame Radiant are also being featured online at the Femme Salée Salon.

Also, the book Shame Radiant, is now in pre-production! It will be released later this year, I am very excited to see it!

Solo exhibition "When Church Bells Become a Vacuum Cleaner (När kyrkklockor blir en dammsugare)" at Frölunda Kulturhus in Gothenburg (Sweden) was never open to the public, so we decided to publish a guided video tour. It's far from perfect, but I hope you like it! :)

SLOW COLLECTIVE LANDSCAPE (initiator)

Slow Collective Landscape is a community-based art project that concludes to an outdoor exhibition expanding the Stinzenroute Buitenpost-Kollum. Chosen technique is pinhole cameras producing solargraphy - images taken throughout half a year, allowing to see the Sun travelling in the sky. A collection of pinhole cameras has been decorated by pupils of three local primary schools.

Read about the project in Dutch here.

Interview about my artistic practice published on 15min.lt (Lithuanian)
READ HERE

GARSINĖ KOMUNIKACIJA (Auditory Communication)
Solo exhibition at Kaunas Photography Gallery, Kaunas, Lithuania
( 2020 Dec 29 - 2021 Feb)

Extremely happy to be able to show my work to the Lithuanian audience! My work titled Auditory Communication which has been exhibited in Malmo and Gothenburg in Sweden, now turns into Garsinė Komunikacija specially adjusted for Kaunas Photography Gallery. If you are in Kaunas, walk by the Vilnius Street in the old town and search for bananas!

A massive thank you to the team of Kaunas Photography Gallery.

Documentation photographs by Gintaras Česonis:

Auditory Communication at Kaunas Gallery

WHEN CHURCH BELLS
BECOME A VACUUM CLEANER
Solo exhibition at Frölunda Kulturhus in Gothenburg, Sweden
(Nov 14 - Jan 10)
CLOSED

When church bells become a vacuum cleaner

STIPENDIUM DIALOOG 2020
I am delighted to announce that my project 'Guide for Social Interaction in Corona Times' has been selected for a stipendium by Fotodok and Stichting Dialoog.
Thank you very much for the support and trust!
More info: here

WE'VE BEEN SENT A STRANGE SIGN
Group exhibition at Landskrona Fotofestival 2020 in Sweden
(Sept 4 - 20)
More info: here
Instagram page: here

What a banana has in common with a ski slope
Solo exhibition at Frilagret, August 24-29, 2020
More info: here
Live opening on Facebook & Instagram 18:00
Offline opening at 18:30

Instagram takeover and live talk with @art.is.on.the.line
June 19th - starting with the takeover from 11:00. Live talk with Eleni Tsompanidou at 14:00 Swedish time.
https://www.instagram.com/art.is.on.the.line/

Interview by C-print Journal
Excited to share my very first interview in Sweden! Thank you so much!
LINK HERE

My article about the relationship between photography and sound is now published online! I had a lot of joy writing this text, and I am looking forward to continue.
CLICK HERE TO READ

UGot Distance
ONLINE GRADUATION SHOW
BFA & MFA in Photography 2020
Opening: 14.05 (Friday) at 15:00
LINK HERE

DON'T PASS ME BY
Group exhibition at Galleri Format, Malmo, Sweden
(Nov 15 - Dec 12)
More information: here

Camilla Plastic Ocean Plan Masterclass
Exhibition at Babelsberg Film University in Potsdam, Germany
(Sept 2019 - January 2020)

IF YOU LISTEN I WILL TELL
Group exhibition at Galleri Monitor and Rotor2 in Gothenburg, Sweden
Aug 15-18

Welcome to If you listen I will tell, an exhibition of works produced by 16 local artists on the concept of ´hidden histories´. Comprising film, drawing, performance, installation and photography, these works seek to extract and examine what has been concealed by the passage of time. Using personal and collective approaches, the artists explore neglected histories of gender, sexuality, trauma, migration and colonialism.
Curated by Sarah Tuck and Behjat Omer A.

Counterpoints: re-imagining, re-imaging archival images at Film I Väst in Gothenburg, Sweden
May 24-31, 2019

ARTIST BOOK RELEASE at Göteborgs Konstmuseum Bookstore in Gothenburg, Sweden
Displayed my book about trash.

NEW REALITIES
Group exhibition at Galleri Monitor, Gothenburg Sweden

BROKEN TELEPHONE
Solo exhibition at Galleri Monitor, Gothenburg, Sweden
Feb 8-11, 2019

Artist talk

AMBASSADOR'S ROLE AT THE ANTROPICAL residency
August 2018

3-WEEK RESIDENCY IN PORTUGAL with Marion Stoffels
July 2018

Concluded to an outdoor public screen in Gois.

ADMITTED to study Master in Photography at Valand Academy in Gothenburg, Sweden

ARTICLE about my work by Silvija Daniūnaitė

Click here to read

INSTAGRAM account
After my BFA graduation, I started an Instagram account where I share my artistic activities:
Link to my Instagram

I am very happy to announce that I received a place to work on my projects. Besides that, my application for Raizvanguarda residency (Portugal) has been accepted. I will be working on a video project together with my studio-mate Marion. :) We are super excited and looking forward to summer!

More information about the artist-in-residence program: RAIZVANGUARDA

ANTROPICAL
Participation in a project-based artist residency programme at Mirador (Steinfort, Luxembourg), where I also gave a talk and lead a discussion about food, art and habits.
Link for more Info

2017 August 3 - 21