Artist Mónica Palma on How Teaching Children Influenced Her Creative Practice

Artist Mónica Palma reflects on how her experiences teaching young children shaped her artistic development. After her father's death in 2011, she began working with children in New York City, finding inspiration in their non-verbal communication and sensory exploration. She later assisted a sanctuary church program for migrant children from Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador, where clay work helped them process traumatic journeys through the Darién Gap. These interactions influenced her performance art, including a 2016 series in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and a 2020 installation at Soloway Gallery in Williamsburg. Her recent work involves subway performances where she interacts with train surfaces, connecting childhood memories to her current practice.