Melanie Reese
I am an observational artist who paints abstractly. In this series,
I create minimalist paintings by layering lines and organic forms
on canvas. Paint is applied in large, sweeping gestures that are
physically laborious—tracing the movements of my body. These
forms are both accentuated and complemented by lines that are
applied with spray paint: a symbolic medium for marginalized
groups. Both the forms and spray-painted lines are meant to
interact with the frame of the painting, so the edge of the canvas
itself becomes a line demarcating the limits of the work. The
result is a tension between the sharper geometric edge of the
canvas and the smoother organic forms that interact with it. This
tension, along with the symbolic nature of the lines themselves,
which are inspired by my everyday observations of the struggles
faced by women, echoes the fight against social and legal forms
of oppression. My paintings allow me to engage with these
issues and add my own distinctive female voice to this collective,
ongoing struggle.