MelissaVTopal
Contemporary Artist
Paintings and Sculptures
About
Melissa is an abstract London-based artist. She began working with painting and illustration: she was depicting people's emotions and explored the phenomenon of the crowd, but her curiosity and experimentation with material, colour and form, during her studies at Central Saint Martins, switched her interest to sculpture and she now explores how single-surface works like paintings and drawings can become three-dimensional pieces. She fluctuates between calculation and unpredictability and allows material to shift the course of her process. Melissa's favourite medium is the environmentally friendly MDF because it can absorb the required shape and color, as well as metal because she admires the flying sparks when transforming it.
In her current practice, she seeks to express dynamism, noise, speed and chaos inherent in big cities. Tower Bridge Engine Rooms and mechanical tools inspired her to use these details in her work. Urban nature plays an important role in her recent works where she seeks to raise awareness of environmental elements and urban imagery, and invites the viewer to witness the intricacies as well as the beauty of the world surrounding us. Her pieces are exhibited across the UK, she is organising group exhibitions in collaboration with other artists and curators.
CV
Selected Exhibitions:
Upcoming:
Yunus Emre Institute Gallery ∙ 10 Maple St, London, W1T 5HA ∙ 4 May - 25 May 2023
2023:
End of Residency Exhibition ∙ The Earth Vision, 13 Soho Square, London, W1D 3QF ∙ 23 March - 1April
20x20 vision ∙ Blue House Yard, 5 River Park Rd, London, N22 7TB ∙ 16-30th March
Open Studios Spring Edition ∙ Koppel X, 48 Regent Street, Piccadilly Circus ∙ 16 - 25 March
2022:
Magie de Noël - 32 rue de Varenne, Paris, France - 19th - 25th December 2022
Creative Mansion - 14 Bedford Square, WC1B 3JA - 12 Nov - 31 Jan 2023
Music Connected Us ∙ Unit 3 Project ∙ 3 Empson Street E3 3LT ∙ 7 Oct - 9 Oct
Letchworth Open 2022 ∙ Broadway Gallery ∙ 2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire, SG6 3EW2 ∙ 14 Sept - 30 Oct
Progression ∙ DContemporary Gallery - 23 Grafton Street, Mayfair, London, W1S 4EY ∙ 19th July – 5th August
Let the Birds Sing classical concert ∙ in collaboration with pianist Julia Klimek ∙ 114 Hamilton Terrace, London, NW8 9UT ∙ 19th June
73rd Annual Exhibition (Chelsea Art Society) ∙ Chelsea Old Town Hall ∙ Chelsea Manor St, London, SW3 5EE ∙ 16th June – 20th June
Graduate Show ∙ Central Saint Martins ∙ 18th May – 21st May
Let Them Eat Fake ∙ Bad Art Presents "The Bomb Factory Foundation" ∙ 9-15 Elthorne Road, Archway, London, N19 4AJ ∙ 27th April – 01st May
4th Turkish Community Art Exhibition ∙ Yunus Emre Institute, London ∙ 21st Feb – 21st March
2021:
Place ∙ Central Saint Martins King’s Cross ∙ 28th October
The Blending of Senses ∙ Gallery 21 ∙ 137/7 Shepherdess Walk, London, N1 7RQ ∙ 24th October
Charity concert and art exhibition ∙ St Andrew's Church (Caversham) ∙ Albert Road, Caversham, Reading RG4 7PW ∙ 23rd October
AskArt ∙ Craft Central ∙ 397-411 Westferry Road, London, E14 3AE ∙ 13th – 17th July
YouMeUsWe ∙ The Halley Space ∙ 2-10 Hertford Road, London, N1 5ET ∙ 18th June – 09th July
Curated Exhibitions:
A Voyage Of Absurdity ∙ Craft Central ∙ 397-411 Westferry Road, London, E14 3AE ∙ 17th – 23rd May (in collaboration with Vanessa Giorgo and Anna Kolosova)
Boredom Is Not a Luxury ∙ Craft Central ∙ 397-411 Westferry Road, London, E14 3AE ∙ 30th August –5th September (in collaboration with Seray Ozderim)
Collaborations:
Jigsaw flagship store - 190-192 Westbourne Grove, London, W11 2RH - 10th December 2022
Design London exhibition with Ideal Standard ∙ Magazine London, London, SE10 0JH ∙ 22nd – 25th September 2021
Residency:
The Earth Vision | 13 Soho Square, London, W1D 3QF | Feb - March 2023
Awards:
Cosimo Emerging Art Prize - Winner of the Judges' Choice Award - 2023
