'Featureless, Fine’ draws upon ideas surrounding identity, suppressed individuality and deceiving appearances. Dark tones and fragments of otherworldly images are used to explore ideas surrounding entrapment and isolation. The artist’s work makes use of memento mori whilst depicting the malleable distortion of objects intertwined with desperate figures. Influence is taken from poetry and literature, with particular reference to
the writings of Sylvia Plath.
Melaugh’s paintings draw upon themes surrounding detachment and disintegration of the individual. Resonating with events which have taken place throughout the past few years, she makes reference to the notion of depersonalisation. Surrealistic imagery is used throughout Melaugh’s work. Mask wearers, desperate figures and broken inanimate objects are layered and pieced together, hinting at how fragments of oneself are at times patched up to create an alter ego or false identity in order to fit into today’s modern, image-based society.
This collection of paintings captures conflicting identities, providing the opportunity to create a psychological and emotional connection between the work and viewer in order to generate a sense of self-reflection and transformation.
By Niko Salvino
