Monika Gillessen

As an artist, I work in the fields of photography and painting, sometimes combining both with traditional textile and needlework techniques, as in my _Woven Photocollages_.

In these works, several photographs are interwoven, multiplying their subjects, perspectives and possibilities for interpretation while simultaneously obscuring one another. The alternating layers of photographs create a shifting interplay of visibility and prominence between the individual images, continually revealing new perspectives. New ways of seeing emerge and fade away in an ongoing process, challenging the viewer’s perception.

The visual language of my photographs is understated, at times absurd, and subtly humorous.

In my painting, colour plays a central role in developing perspectives, impressions and moods. I often begin with real-life references, which I then reinterpret artistically and place within a new visual context.

I am particularly interested in representations of the body and in how people are perceived and shaped by social conventions and expectations. My work explores themes such as identity, self-determination and vulnerability. Social and ecological issues also find their way into my practice.

Across my various series, I explore di...

Photography,B.A.
FH_Dortmund, Germany
Shrishtis University, Bangalore,India

Die Lichtung _Köln
Knackpunkt _Düsseldorf
Klärwerk _ Krefeld
Südbahnhof _ Krefeld
35 Blumen _ Krefeld
OpenArt _ Viersen
Citykirche _ Mönchen Gladbach
Stadtbad_ Krefeld