Monika Drabot
Artist Statement
With my artwork I explore the intersection of space, light, people, movement, time, pattern, systems, and technology. Through an exploration of surface and space I attempt to create a visual dialogue that raises questions about the political implications of access and occupancy within a landscape. No matter the type of environment – physical or virtual – humans have a tangible relationship with the space they occupy. The practice has shifted from capturing movant light with the use of long exposure to capture motion to creating abstract forms of unseen reality that can’t be witnessed without the use of a camera. This has allowed me to present visual cues that encourage escape and total immersion within shapes, colours, and forms. Through this artwork I ask bigger questions about how we perceive time and our place within different environments. To further this exploration, I also seek to create interactive or immersive experiences where viewers can actively engage with both exhibition spaces and objects.
In addition to exhibiting my own work, I have been curator for numerous exhibitions for other artists in multiple spaces of various structural designs - from the long, narrow George Crossan Gallery, to the octagonal Greenhouse Gallery and the small quirky Gatehouse Gallery in what used to be the gatehouse to a local college. This work enables me to delve into the creative processes and inspiration of other artists to expand my own mind set.
Present , I am exploring mixed media and new concepts in my postgraduate studies at Chelsea College of Arts MA Fine Art.
Education
2022 - 2023 Chelsea College of Arts, UK Subject: MA Fine Art
2014 - 2017 Arts University Bournemouth, UK Subject: BA (HONS) Photography - First Class Honours
2012 - 2013 Arts University Bournemouth, UK Subject: Level 4 Diploma in Art and Design - Foundation
2018 Level 3 Award in Education and Training. Awarded By: City & Guilds
Professional Appointments
2019 - 2022, Guernsey Arts - Curator, Designer.
Awards
2022
Nominated - Guernsey’s Iconic Women of the Future 2022
2021
Shortlisted - Pride of Guernsey Award for Arts Contribution of the Year.
2017
The Anne Corkett Prize for Photography
Source Magazine Graduate Photobook Award
2016
Shortlisted Light painting Award ( Photokina Light Art Congress phoLAC)
2012
Winner of Deutsche Bank Community Artworks Competition
Best portfolio Award from Specsavers
Exhibitions
2024
Idea Art Corroboration July 6 - August 22 China Organizer | Chengdu Xu Liaoyuan Museum of Modern Design and Art - 总策展 杨鸽 Chief Curator Gaia Young
GateHouse Gallery Photography Now Feb 2nd 2024. Guernsey
2023
Crossing Borders 2 – 5 November 2023 Millbank London Curator Hannah Imhoff
Windows 12th October Millbank London Curators Monika Drabot, Richard Cook
Bodies of Water 20TH - 24TH SEPT 2023 SLASH ARTS BOAT GALLERY, LONDON Curator Hannah Imhoff
Spectral 25 September - 2 October 2023, Cookhouse Gallery London Co-curated by Sotheby’s MACA students Francesca Christodoulou and Cecily Quinn
The Library Project
Venue: The Library, Chelsea College of Art & Design Library Curated by: Manmeet K Walia Dates: 21st September- 21st October, 23 Public Program: 5th October, 23.
Order of service - Gallery Chelsea College of Arts & Design London
Test Drive 2 - Gallery Chelsea College of Arts & Design London
Test Drive - Gallery Chelsea College of Arts & Design London
Germinate- Hyde Park London
The 6th Sense - Cookhouse Gallery Chelsea College of Arts & Design London
This is my Graffiti - Weatherbys bank London
Visual Vocabulary - Cookhouse Gallery Chelsea College of Arts & Design London
Wish You Where Here - Margate Beach
Its the Little Things - Cookhouse Gallery Chelsea College of Arts & Design London
In Tandem - Cookhouse Gallery Chelsea College of Arts & Design London
Parallel International Festival
2022
WAH WAH - Cookhouse Gallery Chelsea College of Arts & Design London
Rube Goldberg - Cookhouse Gallery Chelsea College of Arts & Design London
Departure Lounge - Chelsea College of Arts Room ALG17 London
Bridget Spinney - The Art Of Nature On Paper - Greenhouse Gallery - 25th March - 15th May
Guernsey Granite - Coach House Gallery
2021
(Solo) Passage of Time - At the Greenhouse Gallery, Guernsey Museum.
30/30 Auction - St.James Pollinator Project
Abstraction - Work Thoughts on Paper - Gatehouse Gallery
Spring - Gatehouse Gallery
St. James Caffe
Creative Castle this weekend - light installation and Projection
Album Cover - Thomas Ashby Better
2020
St.James cafe RGB Project
87 Days - Exhibition at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital.
Guernsey Arts open 2020
Guernsey Affordable Art Fair - Gate House Gallery at Elizabeth College
Transition 2 - ( SLEEP ) Gatehouse Gallery
Transitions 1 - ( HYPERPHANTASIA ) George Crossan Gallery
Flexagon - 7 Nocturnes East - Video work ( ‘Abduction’)
2019
Guernsey Affordable Art Fair - Gate House Gallery at Elizabeth College 2019
Light installation - Guernsey Museum ( the big geekend event )
RGB - At the Digital Greenhouse
Abstract Exhibition at the Brick Lane Gallery 5th - 16th September
(SOLO) RGB - Artist Residency at the Elizabeth Collage - Exhibition at the Gatehouse Gallery
2018
Guernsey Photography Festival 2018 Political Landscape - With work Constrictions
2017
(THUD) BA(Hons) Photography- The Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London: July 6th-10th 2017
Final Year Exhibition in Bournemouth in 2017
Solo Exhibitions ‘Escaping the Representation of Reality) BUMF: Gallery: May 18th – 23th 2017
CURATION
2022
Mark Windsor - Fragments of history, figments of the imagination. - Greenhouse Gallery
Bridget Spinney - The Art Of Nature On Paper - Greenhouse Gallery - 25th March - 15th May
Guernsey Arts Wildlife Photographer open Exhibition - Greenhouse Gallery
2021
All Of Me - A project supported by Guernsey Mind - health connections shop
Guernsey Arts Open 2021 - George Crossan Gallery
Steve Glass - Organic Human - George Crossan Gallery
Student Exhibition 2021 - George Crossan Gallery
Sheryl High Faces - At the Greenhouse Gallery, Guernsey Museum.
Vivien Ferneyhough - Marks in the landscape - Greenhouse Gallery and on location.
Trudie Shannon - Between the Tides - At the Greenhouse Gallery, Guernsey Museum.
5 x 10 - Nina Molnar & Christine Shaw - At the Greenhouse Gallery, Guernsey Museum.
The Big Lockdown Build - Online and a shop window exhibition.
Rob Sweeney 366 - George Crossan Gallery
2020
Tribute ink - Installation assistant - George Crossan Gallery
Guernsey Arts open 2021 - George Crossan Gallery
Liberation 75 Freedom not Forgotten - Assistant Curator - Online and Public outdoor exhibition.
Jonathan G Skelton ‘Brush Marks Heaven and Earth - At the Greenhouse Gallery, Guernsey Museum. 30th July - 4th October
In Living Memory - Olympia McEwan Exhibition At the Greenhouse Gallery, Guernsey Museum. 27th March - 17th May
Flexagon 7Nocturnes East - At the Greenhouse Gallery, Guernsey Museum. 31st January - 22rd March
2019
Our Fragile Planet - High School Students Artwork at the Royal Court
William Le Lacheur The Land He Loved - Artworks by Frances Lemmon - At the Greenhouse Gallery, Guernsey Museum.
Gary Wearing Number 19 - 6th September - 20th October At the Greenhouse Gallery, Guernsey Museum.
Student Exhibition 2019 - Shape & Form - At the Greenhouse Gallery, Guernsey Museum.
Projects
2022
The Pollinator Project 2020 - Designer , installation
2021
Guernsey Photography Festival 2021 - Assistant in installation
Community Art Festival at St. James , Assistant.
The Pollinator Project 2021 - Designer , installation
Guernsey Arts Sunday 2021 - Assistant and Designer
2020
Community Art Festival at St.James, Assistant
Jonathan G Skelton - Workshop - The Big geek weekend Event, Assistant
Guernsey Arts Sunday 2020 -Assistant and Designer
Art on the Beach 2020 - Assistant
The Pollinator Project 2020 - Designer , installation
2019
Art on the Beach 2019 - Assistant
Public Art Competition Organiser - Piano a display at the Guernsey Airport
Guernsey Arts Sunday 2021 -Assistant and Designer
The Pollinator Project 2019 - Designer , installation
2018
Guernsey Photography Festival - Instillation and planning assistant.
Residences
2019
Gate House Gallery: Artist in residence - Elizabeth College 18/2019
Talks & workshops
2021
22nd November, Vauvert School - Year 4 - Lesson on Curating exhibitions.
4th May Talk at the Greenhouse Gallery - HND Students from College Further Education on Curation.
27th April Talk at the College of Further Education - HND Students on working as an artist.
2018
11 Oct 2018 The Ladies’ College Photography Lesson - Working with Light Presentation.
22rd Sep 2018 - Guernsey Photography Festival - A Presentation with Monika Drabot . Digital Greenhouse Market Square.
Publications and media
2021
4th Nov 2021, BBC Radio Guernsey - Lizzie Roper - Interview about the Exhibition Passage of time.
4th Nov 2021, Guernsey Press - The Rhythm of Memory - Publication about the Exhibition Abstraction.
3rd Nov 2021, Guernsey Press - Time Traveller- Publication about the exhibition Passage of Time.
19th Aug 2021, Guernsey Press - Arts Contribution Of the Year.
2020
5th May 2020, Guernsey Press - Guernsey Photography Festival 2020 - Artwork : The VIEW.
1st June 2020, Guernsey Press - Transition 1 exhibition.
2018
Guernsey Photography Festival Catalog 2018
Source Magazine Issue 95 - Autumn 2018
Book : Constructions by Monika Drabot published by Jane & Jeremy
Guernsey Press - Past, Present and Future - Construction 20th September 2018
2017
Aesthetica - The Art &Culture Magazine Issue 79- November 2017