It's too expensive to love art - A story about a female artist in NYC

My final project is a short documentary film about my friend Monika Sala. She is a dedicated female young photographer.  She was born in Poland where she graduated from Crakow University of Economics. In 2004, she came to the United States. She graduated from Fashion Institute of Technology. She pursues her passion for art in New York City.  At the summer of 2010, Monika shifts her life back to Europe. “Monica” stands for thousands of passionate women who work hard to pursue their careers. She also represents thousands of immigration artists, who leave their family, and struggle in America for their dreams.

New York is a community, which attract a huge group of young people, step out their social cast, and come here from the entire world. They all believe her is the place to make their dream come true. They believe American is a land where they can achieve the freedom of creation. As Monica says in her interview, “I was just a common girl from a little town in Europe…It’s unbelievable that I can be a photographer in NYC…Bt somehow it happens.”  

However, to support an artist life in New York City, their stories are full of love and struggles. As women live in Nyc without family and security job support, no matter what your passion is, you have to be a slave for money.  It’s very common for them to work as babysitter, housekeeper, or any job they can find to pay the rent. Monica, as a woman, she denies to marry a man for security, and she wants to be a strong, independent artist.  However, she feels the pain of been treaded as a object. She always says, “In Most time of my days, I feel like a vegetable… When I am working, I am a back ground furniture in rich people’s house.” It’s not only hard to be recognizing as an artist, but also hard to be recognizing as a human being. She is a true artist in soul, and she has wonderful personalities. She bravely pursues the profession as a living artist.

Art, is her language, is her voice. She is yelling out in her art works to challenge American’ material society. Financial struggles and un-fair society treatments, shape her art journey and changing her point of view about life. I document segments of her daily life for the past three years. The mission to make this documentary is for her to see her braveness, kindness, and encourage her to keep going to be an artist. 

http://monikasala.com/