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.

CV

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