I saw you in a song / Neue Welle

With her photographs of youths in their private spaces, going through the highs and lows of love, Marina Mónaco evokes a sense of nostalgia for something that seems familiar to everyone, yet remains elusive. Some of her work has been transitioning from documentary to an almost staged reality, blurring the lines of what is real and what isn’t. While this blending has become an integral part of her artistic expression, the intention and outcome continue to be deeply authentic to the subjects she portrays. Rather than remaining an observer, Mónaco has become a participant, creating work that brings forth a narrative through association.

Marina Mónaco is a photographer and film director from Buenos Aires, now based in Berlin. Since moving to Germany in 2020, she has explored the spectrum of youth subcultures, young love, and the local music scene — known as Neue Neue Deutsche Welle — across the country. Her solo exhibition Neue Welle — We Were Never Here is currently on view at Aperture Film Lab through 16 June, as part of the European Month of Photography in Berlin.