Marge Monko Presents New Book in New York

Presentation of the new book by EKA photography professor Marge Monko in New York.

On Wednesday, October 12, artist Marge Monko, professor of the Department of Photography at EKA, will present her new monograph “Flawless, Seamless” in New York, at the Margot Samel Gallery. At the book presentation, Monko talks to the critic and theoretician R.H. With Lossin.

The editor of the book is Laura Toots, an alumnus of the photography department of EKA, the graphic designer is Indrek Sirkel, a doctoral student and junior researcher of EKA, and the publisher is Lugemik.

“Flawless, Seamless” is Marge Monko’s first monograph, which includes the artist’s works from 2014-2021. The book presents nineteen works, all of which in their own way explore the “architecture of desire,” a term Monko has used to characterize his work. Monko draws inspiration from messages in public spaces, print advertisements, store displays, shop windows, etc. Ubiquitous advertising strategies designed to create lasting desire try to convince us that the products being presented will help us achieve luxury, romance, and happiness. Monko’s interest in these integral elements of capitalist society stems from his childhood in the 1980s, when goods were scarce in the Soviet Union.

The works are accompanied in the book by an essay by curator and theorist Moritz Scheper and three conversations with Monko’s fellow artists and friends: Erika Hock, Maruša Sagadin and Paul Kuimet. Scheper discusses the connections between Monko’s earlier and more recent works and the different forms of expression of femininity dominant in the East and the West. Conversations touch on topics such as creativity, materiality, collaboration and book making. The completion of the book was supported by the Estonian Cultural Foundation and the Association of Photographers (Foku).

The book presentation will take place as part of the Lugemik publishing house’s participation in the world’s largest art book fair, NY Art Book Fair 2022. Lugemik will show at the fair, besides Marge Monko, a large number of publications by EKA alumni and teachers: Ott Kagovere, Sandra Nuut, Edith Karlson, Paul Kuimet, Mari Laanemets and Flo Kasearu. Lugemik’s participation in the fair is supported by the Estonian Ministry of Culture and the Estonian Cultural Foundation.