Monika Mayer: LINKED
July 31 @ 12:00 pm - September 5 @ 5:00 pm
Free
Monika Mayer, Flow # 60 – Entangled, 2025, acrylic, coffee and ink on canvas, 22″ x 28″, photo: Dana Davis
Monika Mayer’s new body of work is inspired by the rocky shoreline along the California coast, shaped by the tides. At low tide, hidden worlds are revealed: clusters of mussels and barnacles clinging together, surviving by holding on to each other. By gathering together, they create shared conditions that protect them from crashing waves and harsh weather. Their strength comes from connection.
Working with gathered and repurposed materials including inner tubes and deconstructed soccer balls, Mayer builds sculptural forms through layering and accumulation. Discarded and overlooked, these pieces grow into organism-like clusters linked with zip ties and staples and are given new life. Her paintings extend this language through layered coffee, paint, and ink, echoing the coastal environment’s organic patterns and rhythms. By presenting familiar objects in unfamiliar ways, Mayer invites viewers into a space of ambiguity, encouraging them to pause, look closely, and consider what lies beneath the surface. These works reflect on resilience, not as something we achieve alone, but as something we build together.
Bio:
Monika Mayer is a multidisciplinary artist born in Germany and based in Berkeley, CA. Largely self-taught, she began developing a daily art practice during the COVID-19 lockdown, allowing her to deepen her focus and commitment. She holds a BA in Social Education from the University of Applied Sciences in Cologne, Germany and a MA in Educational Leadership from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. Mayer has been a member of Mercury 20 Gallery since 2023, and is an alumna of the Kala Artist-in-Residency program in Berkeley, CA. Her work is held in private collections in the U.S. and Germany and has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including at Tryst International Art Fair in Los Angeles, Kala Art Gallery, and in the UK as a shortlisted artist for the International Football Art Prize.
Gallery Hours: Friday and Saturday, 12 – 5 pm (and by appointment)
Artists’ Opening Reception: Saturday, August 15, 3 – 5 pm
Artist Talks: Saturday, August 29, 3 – 5 pm
Oakland Art Murmur / First Friday: Friday, August 7, September 4, 5 – 9 pm
