Melanie Berman explores the language of abstraction within paintings. She draws from traditional and contemporary techniques and observations. Using the interplay of the paint and the momentum of intuitive gestures to be captured within a time and space that is relevant today.
Berman is drawn to the intrinsic values of her materials whilst infusing her work with a personal language and signature palettes. She uses abstraction and colour marks as if it were a universal text full of intergrity, in which she features allegories that reflect on social, ideological and emotional planes. References stem from nature, music, poetry, dance that are entwined to suggest alternative possibilities for human life.The non-objective also interests her, as she translates sound into colour and illusionistic forces of connectivity into patterns. The initial marks made on the surfaces of her works are excavated through various techniques that offer a profusion of unexpected possibilities. The layering of paint in her work serves to translate her vision into a performative and aesthetically rich surface, creating a balance between imagination and realistic authenticity. She acknowledges her Anglo Indian heritage in her work, as well as incorporating a range of different cultural references that resonate with her. Her visual interpretations embody a form of spiritual reasoning and a heartfelt empathetic voice.
In her poetic paintings, loud fluorescent pink or orange flicks contrast with soft, quiet tones. The colours dance amongst themselves to convey a contrasting sense of rhythmic order or disorder, adding to the joyous energy of the work. The marks could be seen as akin to genetic coding or the human perception of nature and our own ecological consciousness. They could also be compared to the pages of a journal or landscapes. Berman also compares her rustic marks with the psychological marks that are gathered through life. Marks of pure expression contrasted with recognisable forms, hinting at the complexity of different people’s experiences and cultures. Bringing these differences together highlights the importance of collaboration and unity within society, and convey the aesthetic value found in life.
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Melanie Berman: Biography
Melanie Berman (b. Surrey, UK) lives and works in East Sussex. She graduated from the University for the Creative Arts with a BA in Painting (2008), and from Berkshire College of Art (1980) with a BA in Fashion Design. Her work is in private collections in the USA Canada France Portugal and Australia. She has been awarded various commissions including SMC Design, London. Most recently she exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy (2020, 2021, 2022) - Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy, London (2019, 2021, 2022). Her work also featured in the Royal Academy Calendar 2021. She exhibited at Wells Art Contemporary Exhibition in 2021, Lido Open 2021, Beep Painting Biennial in 2022 and the Bankley Open Exhibition in 2022. Barclays Bank residency 2021-22 RHA selected 2023 The Ballinglen Art Foundation Biennial 2023