Cultural agitator & former manager of the independent art space FORDE (2012-2014). Artistic director of GET A NERVE, the alternative art fair in parallel to Artgenève (2019-2020). Curator of HOME OF TMF, a space dedicated to happenings, interactive installations and performances in Geneva (2020-2021).

Freely mixing activism, curation and sociology, the art, messages and actions created by Elena Montesinos transmit a rather genuine clear-sighted energy to whoever feels like having a closer look at this impressive body of work.

Since three decades, The Montesinos Federation (TMF) keeps buzzing through performances, actions in the public space, electronic music, appropriation art and existentialism.

E-mail : wearetmf@protonmail.com

AWARDS

2024 : Landis & Gyr Stiftung, Zoug
2021 : City of Geneva and FMAC Award, Geneva
2018 : Act-Art Federation, Geneva
2001 : Geneva Council Grant and Residency in Schönhauser, Berlin
2000 : Lissignol-Chevalier-Galland Grant, Geneva
1999 : Manor Kunstpreis, Geneva
1998 : Swiss Art Award

EVENTS

2024

BONFIRE OF POVERTY, annual performance curated by TMF @ Porteous, Geneva

ART TRUCK 007, artworks selected in the FMAC collection and exhibited at The Renfile thrift store, Geneva

2023

1984/ 2024, Collective showcase curated by Home of TMF. Bonfire of Poverty, performances, installation and DJ’s, DUPLEX, Geneva

THAT GIRL AND THE HOMIES, happening performance at FACE Z festival opening, with 30 artists conducted by Elena Montesinos at Vélodrome, Geneva

2022

NEVER GATE, a psychoactive movie by Elena Montesinos & JD Schneider, 18′, Eurotrash with English subtitles – World premiere @ LUFF 2022, Lausanne

VIRTUAL FANTAISIES, augmented reality works inserted in the contemporary art exhibition “Renegotiation” at Cimetière des Rois, Geneva

2021

BVR-REDUX, public workshop with That Girl during BIM 21, Centre d’Art Contemporain, Geneva

DEC 17TH, window performance as That Girl featuring The Wild Panthers and Nagi Gianni’s mask. Curated by Art au Centre in conjunction with Aspasie and Planet 22, Geneva

PAY ME A VISIT, Swiss coin mosaic being composed live, on the ground. Window performance at TOPIC art space, curated by A. Marzullo and D. Bernardi, Geneva

ARTIST TALK with D. Pernet at Art Basel for the Swiss Art Awards 2021, invited by Pro Helvetia. Talk and performance all-in-one at Pro Helvetia’s booth, Basel

EXTRA MUROS XXXXX “Au pied du mur” (Too Much Fun), Seedbombs happening with DIE UNKRAUT BOTSCHAFT, Home of TMF, Geneva

# EXCUSE MY FRENCH, online performance at the Maison des Arts du Grütli Studio, curated by B. Giongo and N. Sugnaux, GO GO GO Festival, Le Grütli, Centre de production des Arts Vivants, Geneva

2020

BONFIRE OF POVERTY, annual performance turned into a personal flashmob this year, curated by TMF, Geneva

MEGAWIN (Three Miraculous Funds), window video installation group show and lucky draw, curated by the artist, Home of TMF, Geneva

UCHIGAWA (The Misfits Fortress), group show and opening of the new art space run by the artist, member of the Collectif O.P.O. aka Oeil pour Oeil (L. Gabriel, W. Gaze, E. Montesinos, Séni) who curated the group show, Home of TMF, Geneva

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ARTWORKS

By Elena Montesinos

BONFIRE OF POVERTY, MAXIMA LVX, SPOKESPERSON, DEC17TH, ARMAGEDDON, SERVEZ-VOUS, LIBERTAS LIBERTAS, HUMAN RIGHTS KARAOKE, WEED EMBASSY (DIE UNKRAUT BOTSCHAFT), FEED THE WORLD, YOU WIN, THIS IS NOT A LOVE SONG, BORDERLINE, IN LOVING MEMORY, ARM WRESTLING, PA-PA-PAP-PAP, SOUND OF THE SYSTEM, INFINITY, GOLDEN SHOWER, YOUTRIBE, COUNTERFEIT FOR PAGANS, XXX, ALIEN NATION, SAFT, HAPPY MONDAY, ERRATUM, DOMINUS PROVIDEBIT, HOW TO BUILD AN EMPIRE, OIL OIL OIL, PICKPOCKETS, FORTUNA, I WALK THE LINE, PIMP MY RIDE, LOVE IT.

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THAT GIRL

Virtual alter-ego on social medias

That Girl is Elena Montesinos virtual alter-ego performing and interacting on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and SoundCloud.

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Music and sound projects

Elena Montesinos performs “irritainment” music with the weirdest low-fi to hi-fi technologies under various nicknames and disguises.

2023

THAT GIRL AND THE HOMIES, happening, spoken word performance for the FACE Z festival opening, with 30 artists voices, conducted by Elena Montesinos at Vélodrome, Geneva

SOLAR SOUND SYSTEM – MINIMIX with That Girl & Maudite, Festival de la Cité, Lausanne

WE HAVE A PLAN, live video & audio performance for Mapping Festival @ Le Groove, Geneva

WE HAVE A PLAN, live video & audio performance for Mothership 12×24 @ Cave 12, Geneva

2022

NEVER GATE, a psychoactive movie by Elena Montesinos & JD Schneider, 18′, Eurotrash with English subtitles – World premiere @ LUFF 2022

AN EVENING WITH THAT GIRL AND THE HOMIES, video mashup and closing party with Maudite and Kebab Injection! Starring: Nathanael Esh, Timothy Leighton, That Girl, Lea Pohlhammer, Sanctus Povitch. GO GO GO Festival, Le Grütli, Geneva

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