Bascha Mon

Bascha Mon, born in 1932 in Newark, NJ, is known for her evocative work that blends personal experience with abstract and representational forms. Now based in Long Valley, NJ, Mon’s work channels a rich tapestry of daily experiences, including themes of identity, personal relationships, memory, migration, and nature through painting, sculpture, encaustics, and installation.

Mon earned a degree in French and Spanish literature from Skidmore College before embarking on her artistic journey in her 30s, following years devoted to motherhood and family life. After spending five years teaching elementary students in public schools, she chose to explore a new path in art. She studied at the Art Students League, igniting a lifelong passion for color, experimentation, and an unwavering pursuit of new artistic challenges. Mon has since shared her expertise and enthusiasm by teaching at various institutions, including the New Jersey Center for Visual Arts, Hunterdon Art Museum, Somerset Art Association and through private instruction.

Recent exhibitions like New Land and the collaborative Flags for the New Land at the Center for Contemporary Art in Bedminster, NJ (2019), highlight Mon’s deep engagement with the emotional landscapes of immigrants and refugees. Approaching the age of 92, Mon continues to translate her unconscious and personal memories onto works on paper, deeply influenced by and harmonizing with the music of Olivier Messiaen.

Mon’s contributions to art have been recognized through fellowships from the New Jersey State Council for the Arts and the New York Foundation for the Arts. Her work is featured in esteemed collections, including the Hunterdon Art Museum, Osaka Contemporary Art Center, State Museum of New Jersey, the Artists’ Library at the Victoria & Albert Museum, and the Newark Public Library as well as the Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College, the Newark Museum and various private collections.

Mon’s retrospective at Tappeto Volante Projects, Bascha Mon: A Celebratory Retrospective of An Artist’s Life and Journey of Dreaming, Perseverance, Activism, & Unconscious Expression, will mark her first New York solo exhibition in 47 years, showcasing her enduring evolution and resilience in expanding the boundaries of expressive storytelling through a lifetime of artistic discovery.