Mónica Mays

Mónica Mays, born in Madrid in 1990 and currently based in both the creative hubs of Madrid and Amsterdam, is a dynamic artist whose practice encompasses sculpture, installation, and performance art.

Biography of Mónica Mays

Mays' academic journey has provided her with a rich foundation for her art. She pursued Cultural Anthropology at the University of New Orleans before venturing into the world of art. In 2015, she graduated from the École Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Strasbourg, and in 2017, she obtained her MA from the Sandberg Instituut in Amsterdam. This multidisciplinary education has equipped her with a unique perspective that melds anthropology, biography, historical archives, and mythology into her artistic practice.

Mónica Mays' artistic journey has been enriched by her participation in various artistic residencies, including Rupert in Lithuania, Fundación Bilbao Arte in Spain, and Landescape in Italy. Her works have adorned the walls and spaces of renowned venues such as the Frascatti Theater (Netherlands), Centro Centro (Spain), Open Tuinen Dag (Netherlands), Industra Gallery (Czech Republic), and Atelier Chiffonier (France).

In recognition of her exceptional talent, Mónica Mays received the 3PD prize from the Amsterdam Fund for the Arts in 2021, as well as the Generation 2022 prize from the Montemadrid Foundation.

Mónica Mays's Art Style

Her creative process encompasses sculpture, performance, and archival imagery. Her sculptures often take the form of animated domestic objects that appear to overflow, distort, or undergo transformation. These creations serve as a reflection on materials and objects within consumer systems of production and exchange.

Mays explores the potential of excess, ornamentation, and exuberance as spaces where ambiguity and multiplicity of meaning thrive.

She employs various media to map the flows, influences, and economies of diverse objects, reshaping them as fluid and creative identity-forming processes.