Mona Stenseth is a Norwegian painter and artist who uses paint as a tool for self-discovery, delving into personal growth and seeking a deeper understanding of herself through the expressive use of oil, brushes, and pigments.

Mona was born in Fauske, in the wintery northern regions of Norway, but has moved several times across the country. She’s been dedicating time to study and work in various cities such as Trondheim, Bergen, and Oslo. Today, she calls Porsgrunn, Telemark, her home base.

She finds herself perpetually yearning for a place to call home – but is at the same time questioning its very existence. Each new location offers fleeting moments of familiarity, but the profound sense of belonging she seeks remains to be found.

With introspective reflection, she tries to better understand and to explain this intrinsic human need; 

To belong. 

– Are we destined to create deeper ties within ourselves, transcending geographical boundaries and physical roots? Or are we all just wanderers in pursuit of an elusive concept called «home»?

Monas paintings evolve around personal identity and existence, infused with visual interpretations of her own life. She looks into the limitations the influence of culture and society can have on our individual sense of freedom.

While constantly questioning the forces that shape our lives, she encourages introspection. In the evocative world she paints, Mona asks her audience to ponder the profound questions – the ones that define our very being; 

• “Who am I, and do I dare to live authentically?”
• “What do I yearn for, and what am I fleeing from?”
• “What constitutes my essence, and where do I truly belong?”
• “Who dictates the rules that govern my existence, and why should I comply?”
• “Must I conform to notions of belonging, or can I allow myself the freedom to simply be?”