Traditions and Nature: Art by Monique Blom
(Un)Monumental, performance still, 2019
Monique Blom is a Saskatchewan-based multidisciplinary artist who uses performance, painting, collage, and other disciplines to explore the relationships between human-made forms and traditions, and nature -- often through a feminist lens.
(In)nominate, performance still, 2019
Monique’s recent performances (Un)Monumental, (In)nominate, and (In)terfertilization each utilize striking costuming and slow, deliberate choreography to evoke a sense of spiritual reverence. This overall aesthetic sits in contrast to the modern architectural settings of these performances, and the still images and videos showcased on Monique’s portfolio website speak to that striking visual and thematic contrast.
The weighty aesthetics of these performances demand audience attention, and yet there is a welcoming quality to Monique’s performance designs that capitalizes on the nature of spectacle and the desire for participation to create meaningful audience interactions -- the performances embrace aesthetics, but are not strictly aesthetically driven, rather they seem to seek to inform.
