Melissa Vandenberg

Region: South

My “marks” examine the fleeting nature of power and permanence through common and sometimes somewhat comical motifs such as stickers, flags, quilts, popsicles, and temporary tattoos. Questions surrounding patriotism, pride, and partisanship emerge in work that is both satirical and idealistic.

I am motivated by the notion of a homeland, folk art, current events, ancestry, and our shared landscape. My interests inform my media preferences, which often incline toward vintage fabric, paper, and somewhat mundane stuff. Approachable material selections make the difficult topics addressed in the work more palatable. My own history—an upbringing in a northern Rust Belt metropolis and a deep attachment to southern “make do” perseverance—has had an enormous impact on the work.