Monique Thomaes

Monique Thomaes

As a Belgian artist, she moved to Berlin (in 1988) after having lived in the Netherlands for twenty years. At the moment she is working in Antwerp.

Her move to Berlin has had a major impact on her work: it is reflected in a transition from sculpture to spatial installations. Through diverse courses of further education, studies and experiments, her work has expanded into the fields of photographic, slide, light, and video installations.

Her videowork can be seen as a perception of/ reaction to/ spaces, light, time and movement. Meditative, slow, poetic works alternate with works in which image and sound are transformed into dynamic choreographies through the use—and misuse—of montage techniques. The works are, for preference, shown as large-scale projections or distributed among a variety of monitors. They respond to the viewer and to the space in which they are shown.

Her passion for space and architecture that characterises her installations and videowork is implemented the last years in art-in-public-space-projects. In the most of these realised interventions, light and movement play a predominant role. In other proposals she worked with artificial light and reflections. Displays with poetic text , used in public spaces, are another center of focus, as well as videostills that are translated in monumental series of pictures.

The merge with existing architecture, the response on existing or yet to be constructed spaces ,
the reaction with respect to the content of buildings, have priority in all her work and proposals.


See texts from different authors about her work under http://www.mthomaes.com/bibliography

Exhibitions and participations
2018 the glory of the Light – de luister van het licht Muzeum, licht en landschap Roeselare (see ArtLight 11/2019)
2017 celibataire divas – Herkenrode Refuge Hasselt – group exhibition, participation with present_ed, video installation
2016 Colours of the sky – Gallery De Mijlpaal, Knokke – group exhibition – photo-installation – neonsculpture
2015/2016 Kunstlicht / Lichtkunst – Hofke van Chantraine, Turnhout (B)group exhibition participation with light installation – video installation
2015 Glass-works – Galerie De Mijlpaal, Heusden-Zolder – group exhibition
participation with neon sculpture
2014 bloed – Landcommanderij Alden Biesen- light-installation/displays/prints
2012 High Voltage – Heusden – Parallel-event Manifesta 9 – light installation
2012 Bookshopbookshow – BE-PART Waregem
2011 _ het ligt in jou _ – light animation (concept) as part of the exhibition „Into the Light“ by „Error One“, KMSKA, Antwerp, Belgium
2010 into the light: light-installation front KMSKA - Antwerp (B) with Error-One, M hka and KMSKA
2010 in-gewikkeld: Hasselt- multimedia-installation
2010 bewogen - CC Tervesten - Beveren: multimedia-installation
2009 plaatsen/lieux/spaces/orte - CC Kortrijk: video-installation
2009 In-Between “the intimacy of space”: multimedia-installation
2009 Kunst-in-Huis, Fotomuseum Antwerp
2008 ARTchitectuur - Monumental Bornem: videoinstallation
2008 EPOS-project: exhibitions in Stellenbosch and Pretoria
2007 plaatsen/lieux/spaces/orte: CCNOA - Brussel: videoinstallation
2007 Passie voor het ongrijpbare: groupexhibition Minderbroedersmuseum St. Truiden, videoinstallation
2007 breath-taking, video-installation, fstforward gallery antwerp, videoinstallation
2007 here today-gone tomorrow: videofestival Antwerp/fstForward gallery, videoinstallation
2006 messages: De Garage - Mechelen, display in public space
2006 A Room (with a View): Arenbergschouwberg, screening in cooperation with galerie fstforward
2005 Niemands Adem: International exhibition- Tielrode, videoinstallation
2005 Stippels & Pixels: Zebrastraat Gent, foto- en videoinstallation
2005 Hot-re-strike: Warande Turnhout, videoinstallation
2004 Rencontres Internationales Paris-Berlin, videofestival Paris
2003 Rencontres Internationales Paris-Berlin, videoinstallation in Paris and in Berlin
2001 Intime Expeditionen: Haus am Waldsee, Videoinstallation
2001 Intime Expeditionen: Badischer Kunstverein Kasrlsruhe, Videoinstallation
2000 Argos, Brussel: Video – Informationdays
2000 Die Langsamkeit, project Interim: Schloß Plüschow, Videoinstallation

Biography (selection)
2011 Art in public space: interactive lightinstallation hospital St. Andries Tielt (B)
2008 EPOS-Project in South-Africa with flemish and S-A writers and artists (Kaapstad, Stellenbosch, Pretoria)
2006 EPOS-Project in South-Africa and Flanders with flemish and S-A writers and artists (Johannesburg)
2005 Art in public space: interactive Lightinstallation Gent, Belgium
2004 Art in public space: interactive Lightinstallation Berlin, Prenzlauer Berg
2002 Art in public space: interactive lightinstallation Flemish Parliament Brussels
1998/2001 Visiting Professor at the Higher Institute for Fine Arts Flanders, Belgium
1997/98 Scholarship Vlaamse Gemeenschap, Ministerie voor Kunst en Kultuur, Belgium
1997 Scholarship Senatsverwaltung für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kultur, Berlin
1995 Student at the Summerschool Salzburg (video Nan Hoover)
1994 Artist in residence in the Villa Romana, Florenz
1993 Student at the Summeracademy (Peter Erskine (LA), Lightinstallations in public space
1993–1998 Guestteacher HDK-Berlin
1988 Removal to Berlin, guest auditor HDK Berlin
1986/1988 Teacher sculpting in Rotterdam
1985/1986 Academie voor beeldende kunsten, Rotterdam
1975/1982 Study at the Vrije Akademie, Den Haag