Bio
Melanie is a Brooklyn, NY based artist who focuses on the relationships between people within the dense urban environment of the city. Unexpected or overlooked moments play an integral role in the inspiration of her work, through the observation of how people share the playground that our built environment provides. Born and raised in Columbus, IN she received her master’s degree in architecture from Indiana University. Melanie’s work has been exhibited throughout Indiana, Pennsylvania, and New York. Melanie was awarded a grant from the Liu Shiming Art Foundation in support of her solo exhibition held at The Blanc Gallery in 2023. Her work was also published in Sfumato Magazine and Create! Magazine in 2024.
Artist Statement
Melanie’s work explores the effects of the built environment on human experience, behavior and interaction. Through oil paint and photography, she explores how people experience and engage with the urban context that makes up our daily lives. The built environment is constantly changing, influencing our dialogue with the places that form our daily activities. Other threads that these works explore are the boundaries between public and private spaces, shifting spaces, visual and auditory privacy and accessibility and safety. My immersion within the city allows me to capture moments from my experiences and witness change in real time. This work acts as one archive of daily, likely unnoticed interactions within our city. Over time this archive will grow and continue to tell stories as diverse and beautiful as the places and people they capture.