Monica L Edmondson, born 1963 Gällivare Sweden
After four years of studying at Canberra School of Art, Australian National University, I returned to Tärnaby in the north of Sweden. Ever since then, 2002, I have worked full time as an artist specialized in kilnformed, hotworked and wheel cut glass.
My profession as an artist is built around four different parts. First, it is the unique studio made glass pieces mainly presented and sold through exhibitions at home and abroad. The second part is large scale public artwork and extensive conceptual art projects and installations. Third, I offer consultancy services within architecture and design where my main experiences are in the fields of facades, canopies and ceilings. Finally, I have been a speaker at national and international art or business conferences, seminar and workshops.
The vast white winter space as well as my Sami heritage are important in most of my work, large and small. At other times the work deals with conceptual issues in which the material of glass can be seen as messengers – or metaphors – for ourselves. A vessel of glass, artistically produced and with its allusion to life itself, can bring to focus questions about identity, origin, allegiance and migration. Fragile and strong at the same time.
All above, were present in the art project 100 Migratory, a local and world-wide art project dealing with the notion of origin and migration. A hundred glass vessels depart on a return journey, starting in their home in the mountains of Sábme – Sameland. From there the vessels migrate on their individual journeys to different countries, environments and cultures. Glass, images, film, a blog and a book as well as a dance performance were part of 100 Migratory at Västerbottens museum 2014.
My art work is represented in permanent collections of a number of museums including National Museum in Stockholm and National Gallery of Australia as well as in exhibitions at home and abroad, for instance at National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, Koganezaki Glass Museum at Shizuoka Japan, Venezia Aperto Vetro Italy and SOFA New York.
Monica L Edmondson
