Mørck reuses silk from previous site-specific works that have hung outside and therefore bear the mark of the wear and tear of nature. The silk has then been processed with plant printing and dyed with plants from our garden. Some of the works consist of worn firewood sacks that have been folded out and applied to silk with embroidery stitches. A series of woolen embroidery on firewood sacks is made based on a set of rules where the artist, in collaboration with his assistant, explores variations of the pattern. Another work is done with the patchwork technique Korean quilting, which makes the textile the same on both sides.
In Mørck’s artistic practice, the interaction between everyday life and artistic exploration is central. She alternates between indoor and outdoor work and work adapted to the seasons. Knowledge transfer between generations is also part of the process. The works have their origins in textiles as something intimate, domestic and trivial, but also universal. The title Den store veven can show how the textile craft is rooted throughout our history, throughout the world, and how it has provided protection, shelter and the opportunity for survival. Textile knowledge is a common denominator that we share with all cultures, at all times, and can create a unique meeting point for the community. The big loom is also used as a metaphor for how everything is connected in farm life. With elaborate textile work, floral patterns and colors applied directly from nature, Mørck wants to honor female and actionable knowledge that has not found a place in history books and theory.
Monika Mørck (b. 1984) works and lives in Trondheim. She has an MFA in medium and material-based art from the Oslo Academy of the Arts and also has an education in textile design from the Accademia Italiana, Florence. Mørck has exhibited at, among others, Soft Galleri in Oslo (2016), Bærum Kulturhus (2017) and Goblin in Nordre Follo (2022) as well as duo exhibitions with Maia Birkeland at Osterøy Museum (2019), at Hordaland Kunstsenter in Bergen (2021), at Galleri Format in Oslo (2021) and Trøndelag center for contemporary art (2023). Mørck has also participated in several group exhibitions, including the Trøndelag exhibition in 2020 and 2022 and the Annual Exhibition in 2021 at Sørlandets Kunstmuseum. Mørck has also published the publication A mother’s diary from Havrå in 2019 and made the social art projects Sprettekafé in 2019 and Loose Ends in 2021.
