Marge Monko Do I Know What It Is, From Which None Can Escape
Marge Monko
Do I Know What It Is, From Which None Can Escape
2024
14 x UV-print (in color), scanned from 6 x 6 cm negative
6 x UV print (in black and white), found photos
The series consists of photographs depicting lost gloves on the streets of Tallinn, and the found photos of human hands. The so-called “gloves’ season” in Estonia lasts relatively long, from October to April. Especially towards spring, one can notice many lost gloves, which lie on the ground, or are placed in a visible position by passersby.
Gloves are directly connected to hands, protecting them from cold and dirt. There’s a trace of human touch in the gloves. A single glove left on the street signifies loss but also care, especially when observing the creative and humorous ways passersby display them so their owners can find them again. When exhibited side by side, photos of lost gloves and images of found hands form groups, emphasising themes of loss and recovery, as well as vulnerability and care.
The title of the series is borrowed from an untitled poem by Viivi Luik.
Marge Monko (b. 1976) is a visual artist who lives and works in Tallinn. She has studied at the Estonian Academy of Arts, University of Applied Arts Vienna, and Higher Institute for Fine Arts (HISK) in Ghent. Monko works with photography, video, and installation. Her recent work focuses on hand motifs in visual culture, including advertising photography and historical photographs.
Her works are inspired by historical images and theories of psychoanalysis, feminism, and visual culture. She works as a professor in the Department of Photography at the Estonian Academy of Arts.
