Moni Jia Rui Scherer
Moni Jia Rui Scherer (they/them) (b. 1995, Singapore) is a German-Singaporean artist who uses photography and text to investigate how factors such as class, sexuality, gender, and cultural background shape our relationships and sense of self. Raised in a biracial Catholic-Chinese family, they utilize storytelling and ethnographic methods to examine the spaces where identities shift and connections emerge.
Moni holds a BA in Camera Arts (Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts) and is currently pursuing an MA in Contemporary Arts Practice (Bern Academy of the Arts). Their artistic practice has been enriched by participation in workshops, including the International Summer School of Photography in Latvia (2019) and the Nikon-NOOR Academy Masterclass in Vienna (2019).
Their work has been featured in various group exhibitions, including of Corse – photographs (Kulturstiftung Basel H. Geiger, Basel, 2022-2023) and the lila.20 queer festival (Rote Fabrik, Zurich, 2020), as well as in publications such as 041 - Das Kulturmagazin (2021). Moni has received grants from institutions such as FONDS RESPECT and the City of Baden.
Based in Bern, they share forest adventures (often from behind a tree) and a well- deserved dinner after a day’s work with their companion Sappho, for whom Moni is the designated belly scratcher.
Artist Statement
My work explores the intersections of identity, intimacy, and power. I focus particularly on the realms of queerness and cultural heritage. Through personal narrative and visual storytelling, I examine how cultural norms, institutional practices, and systemic inequalities shape our relationships and our sense of self.
borderlands, a multimedia collaboration with photographer Shannon Tomasik, blurs the lines between artistic practice and personal life, staging and authenticity. We document a romantic relationship unfolding alongside our professional collaboration, challenging traditional notions of art and documentation.
The auto-fictional narrative Zwischen Löwenzahn und Hyazinthen further examines the interplay of gender, class, and race in various social and professional settings, demonstrating their impact on our interactions and the complexities of belonging.