Exhibition of works unbound by form, including sculptures, installations, and flat pieces

Born in Venice, Italy, in 1965, Monica Bonvicini is known for her work that examines the latent meanings of conventions and social constructs, exploring the relationships between space, power, and gender. She is an artist who has garnered global attention, having received the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale in 1999, and this year, her monumental outdoor sculpture "RUN" was permanently installed in the Olympic Park as a commissioned work for the London Olympics.



Her work takes various forms, including sculpture, installation, photography, video, and works on paper. A characteristic of her practice is the use of contrasting materials; for instance, she combines industrial materials that reference modernist architecture, traditionally considered "masculine," such as iron and glass, with elements that evoke sexual fetishism, like leather and chains. Through this, her art points to the power structures inherent in the architecture that surrounds us and confronts us with their sexual allure.




The exhibition features "Straps and Mirror," a site-specific installation in the main space, where a large glass mirror is fixed to an iron scaffold suspended by leather straps and harnesses, hinting at SM culture. Other works on display include the sculpture "Leather Tools," where tools are encased in black leather and placed on a pedestal; "NeedleKnows," an embroidery on paper depicting needle-nose pliers stitched with red thread; and drawings from the "Off the Grid" series rendered in black tempera.



Her work, which uses contrasting elements and explores diverse expressions, exposes the relationships constructed between labor, sexuality, politics, and social representation. It is an exhibition that invites close viewing to feel its embedded meanings.




Monica Bonvicini Exhibition

Dates: November 2nd (Friday) – February 3rd, 2013 (Sunday) *Winter break from December 29th to January 7th

Hours: 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Closed: Mondays

Venue: RAT HOLE GALLERY

5-5-3 Minami-Aoyama B1, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Tel. 03-6419-3581