Marge Monko (b. 1976) studied photographic art at the Estonian Academy of Arts and the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. Her multifaceted work encompasses photography, video and installation and seeks subject matter in feminism, psychoanalysis and visual culture in general. During recent years, the sloganistic, documental direction in her work has diminished, replaced by a sensitive interest in the visual aspects that shape us and our values.
The market cannot be ignored of course, as it invisibly dictates the content of the posters, showcases and TV commercials around us. Monko attempts to expose the mechanisms that create that inexpressible yearning in us – whether it is a craze for retro sneakers or fancy wristwatches. “Ten Past Ten” (2015) consists of wristwatch ads collected by the artist over the years. The time stays the same from picture to picture, and only the sleeves covering the arms and the positions of the hands change, the only indications of the lives of the watch owners outside the poster frames.
