A Beautiful Lousy Day
Melissa Schriek & Melroy Bisel (Lekkermenselijk)
After my hiatus, I thought it was fitting to come back with a little musing about the exhibition I know like the back of my hand by now, and which explains what I’ve been up to. It is none other than A Beautiful Lousy Day at Hama Gallery, where I’ve been interning since June. Secret is out! I have not actually taken a break from art, just engaged with it in a different capacity. Since working here, I’ve been able to talk to both Melissa and Melroy, so this one’s just that tiny bit more special. Let me walk you through dear all.
So, let’s start at the beginning. I started working here at the beginning of June, and during the initial days, I walked through the exhibition many a time, making my own observations and opinions. Inevitably, I missed a lot of details that you overlook at first glance, until you look closer. Those details, I got to find out later when Melissa and Melroy gave me a tour of the works. Now that I cannot count my circles around the gallery anymore, let’s dive in.
Melissa’s photography captivated me right away. There is something very relatable to me about her work, without even knowing a shred of background about the photos, subjects and locations. It starts with the simple fact that she photographs mostly women in public spaces; that in itself is an experience I can empathise with and understand. The context only enhances the energy her photographs transmit. Melissa often likes to put her female subjects into uncomfortable positions as a visual metaphor for some of the uneasy situations women have to navigate in public spaces. Other times, she is more interested in the sculptural quality of the body and how the body relates to its environment; these explorations also result in some of my favorite pieces of hers.
Moving onto Melroy’s work, I needed a bit more guidance. Right from the beginning, I really enjoyed the two (and his first) paintings in the exhibition; they have this sort of warm feeling about them, and flow together really nicely. However, since my Dutch is in its inception, the context provided by Melroy for some of his other illustrations made me appreciate them that much more. His pieces incorporate an element of satire with a unique twist to them. Stemming from a need of expression, they also have a kindness infused within them, specifically in the form of his signature heart symbol. Melroy believes you can only start and approach a conversation about difficult topics with empathy.
All in all, the combination of their works in one space is satisfying and reminds you on a human level, how connected we all are and that we have shared lived experience. That’s a feeling that never gets old. I’d write a lot more, but you can still come and see for yourself until the end of July and catch me in the gallery. ;)