Monica Koster

“I’m exploring the still life genre, and the symbolism of subject matter. I want to communicate that all success requires sacrifice. In my athletics related paintings, I aim to convey the message that people don’t always realise/ understand the pain and injury an athlete must go through in order to get to the top, as only the final product is seen.

I am a competitive runner, so have been through the suffering necessary in order to have success. I created these paintings through my many experiences with injury, and with my empathy for other runners.

My recent paintings aim to convey the idea of the musician becoming consumed by music. The musician plays their instrument for such long periods of time, that they become one with it. This can be seen in both positive and negative light; while music is beautiful, it is also dark, powerful, extracting the musician from reality.

I play the piano, saxophone, flute, bass and guitar, and often when practicing I find that I become lost in the music."