Melanie Colosimo | Life Savers

Melanie Colosimo

Life Savers

Sackville, Canada: Struts Gallery, 2020

18 x 24" 

Edition of 500

The fourth in a series of eight posters (see previous posts). Posters by Raymond Boisjoly and Celine Huyghebaert, as well as two selected from a forthcoming open call, will be released in time for Spring. 

Statement: 

“Life Savers” is from a series of drawings of the same name that reimagine the sturdy personal floating device, the life preserver, as a soft malleable object. These life preservers have lost their intended purpose, but they’re not alone. They have company. Are they helping each other out or bringing each other down together? This series is a reflection on the role that community plays during a pandemic, when we are forced to be separated, but trying to remain afloat together.

Artist Bio:

Melanie Colosimo is an interdisciplinary artist based in Kjipuktuk (jee-book-took),also known as Halifax on Mi’kmaq (mee-guh-mawh) Territory in Nova Scotia. She received a BFA from Mount Allison University in Sackville, NB (2006) and an MFA from the University of Windsor, in Windsor, ON (2011). Using soft, simple materials such as fabric and cut paper, Colosimo creates drawings and installations that address themes collectivity, power and care. Her work has been presented in festivals and galleries internationally and across Canada such as AKA Gallery (SK) the Art Gallery of Windsor (ON), the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (NS), Eastern Edge Gallery (NL), and Mount Saint Vincent University Gallery (NS), the Guangdong Museum of Art, (Guangzhou) and the He Xiangning Art Museum, Shenzhen. She has participated in multiple residencies at the Centre for Art Tapes, University of Windsor, the Banff Centre and at the Vermont Studio Centre in Johnson, Vermont. She was long listed for the Sobey Art Award in 2017 & 2020. Colosimo is also the Director/Curator of the Anna Leonowens Gallery Systems at NSCAD University where she facilitates over 200 exhibition & events annually.