Monster Chetwynd: The Trompe l’oeil Cleavage

"I'm impatient when it comes to making things and I always reach for everything that surrounds me, even if it doesn't belong to me - I use it."

The English artist Monster Chetwynd (*1973 London) became internationally recognised with her carnivalesque performances, which are reminiscent of medieval mystery and carnival games and take up themes from art history and pop culture, although she also made a name for herself in the 2000s as Spartacus or Marvin Gaye Chetwynd. In 2012, she was the first performance artist to be nominated for the prestigious Turner Prize and her work continues to occupy one of the most important positions in the field of contemporary performance. However, Chetwynd's artistic work encompasses much more: she works with painting and sculpture, installations and films. Her artistic practice is characterised by the invocation and combination of the most diverse cultural sources. She creates something new, combines humour with curiosity and seeks out collaborations - these are the most striking features of her work. The exhibition at the Kunsthaus Zürich is the first comprehensive presentation of Monster Chetwynd's work in Switzerland. Over 60 works from the last 25 years will be part of an immersive exhibition architecture. The book accompanying the exhibition, "The Trompe-l'œil Cleavage", unfolds the diversity of her work in an aesthetic approach co-ordinated with the artist.

Exhibition:
Kunsthaus Zurich, 16/5 - 31/8/2025