Contact Photo is thrilled to announce the U.S. debut solo exhibition of Marina Mónaco, an Argentinian photographer based in Berlin. Her show, "And Suddenly, It Was Just a Memory," opens on Saturday, June 8th, from 5 - 8 pm at Contact Photo, 51 Porter Ave., Brooklyn.
In this exhibition, Mónaco showcases the latest additions to her ongoing Kids series and a selection of unreleased works from the Neue Welle series, which she began after relocating to Berlin.
The Kids series is an intimate documentary project that started in Buenos Aires around 2019. Mónaco began photographing and filming her peer group: on their skateboards, in their bedrooms, or just roaming around their hometown, with Mónaco being a part of them.
Since then, capturing the fragility of fleeting youth has been the recurring theme in Mónaco's body of work. This pursuit led her to the photographic exploration of the suburbs of Europe, following her newfound friendships. This series renders the connection she has with her subjects into sensitive and colorful portraits.
Intertwined with the Kids series is the darker, mostly in-black-and-white Neue Welle series, which started soon after she moved to Berlin in 2021. Mónaco discovers a local music scene inspired by the late '70s and '80s Neue Deutsche Welle (New German Wave) and begins to document the musicians in this thriving underground space.
Not understanding the lyrics nor the people backstage, Mónaco finds herself relying on the process of image-making to connect with her surroundings, transforming the distance she felt into inspiration.
"I was capturing the scene as a complete outsider. I think that's one of the most important things about my work right now, to be an outsider."
Marina Mónaco talks about how she became a photographer, why she moved to Berlin from Buenos Aires, and what inspires her dream-like photographs.
Web: www.marinamonaco.xyz
Instagram: @marinaamonaco
Marina Mónaco's solo exhibition "And Suddenly, It Was Just a Memory" is part of Contact Photo's 2024 artist-in-residence program, hosted by NYC-SPC (NYC Street Photography Collective) and curated by Bora Kim and Jorge Garcia.
This exhibition was made possible by WhiteWall with their generous donation of printing and framing services.
Contact Photo is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting emerging lens-based artists by providing a space for them to learn, create and exhibit work.
And Suddenly, It Was Just a Memory
Solo Exhibition by Marina Mónaco
On View: June 8 - July 5, 2024
Opening Reception: June 8, 5-8PM
Artist Talk: June 11, 6:30-8PM
Location: Contact Photo (51 Porter Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237)
Gallery Hours:
Tuesdays - Fridays:12 - 7pm
Saturdays:12 - 5pm
Sundays - Mondays: Closed
