Friday, March 29, 2024

Monika Bravo

Monika Bravo

I was born in Bogota Colombia in 1964, it took me a while to become an artist since I wanted to be so many things, an astronaut, a language expert, a fashion designer, but my real passion has always been painting, I have never done it, instead I started arranging images since early age, as an amateur photographer since 1976, after high school, I studied fashion and photography between Rome, Paris London and NYC.

At the age of 30, I moved to NYC and decided to be an artist, how does one become by artist skipping grad school? by observing and daring to experiment, and so I did. 

I am a multidisciplinary artist and constant traveler, in my art practice, I examine the notion of perception by questioning whether the world we live in, is but a mental construction; my artistic practice is used as a tool to decipher the laws that govern the world I live in. With this inquiry, I create objects by incorporating still, moving images, sound, and interactivity to generate situations where I can materialize and communicate my emotional state. I want to challenge the audience’s own perception of what they consider real by generating a platform where they are induced to connect by exploring, interacting and at times by focusing on an object- place-scene for a duration of time in a manner that is both meditative and investigative. 

I have a deep commitment to Public art, in it, I conceive visual interventions within the architecture of a public space, some of these are large walls transformed into moving images, interactive video installations with sounds, light encasements, and walls composed of photographic tiles. These interventions create mesmerizing experiences that are also painterly in nature providing a space for temporary abstraction thus subtly transporting the mind elsewhere. My work has been shown in institutions across the globe, from my videos and animations to large scale installations at the MOMA, Brooklyn Museum, New Museum of Contemporary Art, The Kitchen, Museo di Arte Contemporaneo di Roma, the New York video festival at the Lincoln Center & the Americas Society in NY, L.A MOCA, Tate Britain, Museo Reina Sofia, Museo banco de la republican, Bogota, In 2015, I represented the Vatican Pavilion at the 56th Venice Biennale, commissions at the London Chelsea westminster hospital, MTA arts and design Prospect Ave station,  Tom Bradley Airport, Peninsula hotel in Hong kong among many others.

In addition to having a very active professional practice as an artist, I am very curious, so throughout my life, I have studied and have practiced Tai-chi, I-Ching, meditation, nutrition, astrology and many other things with various Taoists, Buddhists teachers in the last 25 years. My love for music is very deep and I am addicted to beauty. Teaching is a privilege, so for the past year, I have established an online community of workshops and astrological readings. My life purpose is to connect, communicate and inspire others to be themselves.

DURATION 2017, Mosaic and ceramic printed glass Prospect Avenue station Brooklyn Commissioned by the MTA Arts and Design Fabricator Mayer of Munich
Detail : DURATION 2017, Mosaic and ceramic printed glass Prospect Avenue station Brooklyn Commissioned by the MTA Arts and Design Fabricator Mayer of Munich
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  1. […] Monika Bravo’s piece Duration was recently unveiled in Prospect Avenue Station on the R Line in New York City. The work is the result of a commission from the MTA. For the project proposal process, Monika worked with the concept of mosaic, a departure for the artist who primarily works with animation. The result was something of an archaeology of her past work, compiling six years of projects into a mosaic collage. Her intention was to instill a sense of presence in those viewing Duration. For the actual installation, Bravo used hand-cut glass pieces. The materials were fabricated by Mayer of Munich. Bravo has explored emotions for a long time and leads workshops in the manifesting of emotion. A Buddhist who studied for many years with a Taoist teacher, Bravo reaches toward an understanding of her own emotions through spirituality in this way. Through the Buddhist tradition, Bravo has developed the practice of observing a moment as it is rather than allowing it to influence how she feels. Following a difficult year personally, Bravo came out of the spiritual closet, so to speak. For the first time, she spoke openly about her own spirituality and began teaching workshops. Bravo’s work was on display at the Vatican Pavillion at the Venice Biennale for which she explored the Gospel of St. John. The work created questioned the idea of God in terms of meaning and the struggle to perceive divinity through words. Some of the shapes created for the Vatican piece are now incorporated in Duration. […]

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