por Renato Duarte, Filipa Galrão e Daniel Leitão 27 de Julho 2023
“Vozes da Avó”, da artista luso-america Melanie Alves, assume-se como uma carta de amor e ao mesmo tempo um manifesto de luta pela valorização da comunidade feminina sénior Até 31 de agosto, o espaço cultural The Hood recebe este projeto de Melanie Alves em homenagem às guardiãs das famílias portuguesas.
«Ser rebelde também é ter tempo para ouvir quem nos embalou», conheça o movimento ‘colo como ativismo´
‘Colo como ativismo’ e a ‘rebeldia de cuidar’ são, de acordo com a artista, os dois conceitos-chave da exposição. Melanie Alves fomenta o upcycling (reutilização criativa de produtos) e cerca de 95% dos materiais usados são provenientes de doações. A instalação de oito metros, que simboliza a casa de todas as avós, é feita a partir de objetos pessoais, colchas, agulhas, linhas e sobras de tecidos de fábricas portuguesas.
por João Carlos Malta 26 de Julho 2023
A artista luso-americana tinha o projeto pessoal de conhecer melhor a história da última avó viva. Mas quando o decidiu fazer, a pandemia levou-a. Não desistiu e quis alargar a iniciativa a todas as avós de Portugal. Assim nasceu o “Vozes da Avó”, uma ideia que quer fazer nascer “uma forma de ativismo”: ouvir os mais velhos.
Instalação artística feita de memórias e de desperdício presta homenagem às avós de Portugal
BY WHITEWALLS/SHOOTING GALLERY MAR 8, 2014
SG Project Space Exclusive: Interview with Melanie Alves.
Though born in San Jose, CA, Melanie Alves was raised in Portugal and resided there until two years ago. Her move back to the United States provoked a new-found interest in issues of gun control and the role the media plays in our perception of gun violence. In the interview below Alves talks politics and process, giving us the how and why of Hunting Season, currently on view (and in its last day!) at Shooting Gallery Project Space.
The title of your show is Hunting Season, and your sculptures are largely inspired by mounted animal heads. However, it seems apparent that your show is about more than just hunting. Can you talk about why you chose this imagery and title for your show?
I decided to use taxidermy and hunting theme as a metaphor to what happens in our “urban jungle” (society) where “nothing is what it seems,”whilst trying to address the different relationships we have with guns. Guns are used in many different ways and purposes- for a sport, to hunt, for self-defense and for pure crime. My wish is to start an open discussion with the audience about more specifically gun violence- whether if it is in a person or in an animal- and a culture driven by fear, but ultimately to make the viewer reflect on what about the gun object so desirable.
My work talks about the fine line that exists between paradoxes such as Innocence and Corrupt; Hunter and Prey; Power and Fragile; Reality, Perception and Deception- and how these paradoxes many times overlap each other losing their initial intention and definition (being lost in translation in a neutral dimension where chaos is king and “anything goes”). Everyone in life seems to be at some point a “killer” and at another instance a “victim,”, the only thing that seems to vary is the degree of camouflage each moment utilizes- as you can see in my work the fragile, beautiful creature is hunted and brutality decapitated to be turned into an ostentatious decorative trophy. The twist is that beautiful fragile animal is made of the exact same weapon that has killed him.
It’s intriguing to me how the act of hunting is justified by hunting for game or animal population density control, yet the self indulging action of collecting a trophy (taxidermy head) and hanging it in your living room goes unjustified. This need of collecting trophies, has been done since our prehistoric ancestors to immortalize and glorify the brave act of “defeating the beast” and show one’s true greatness. But I can’t stop but wonder how this act seems okay in one occasion but in another context would be unacceptable and monstrous.
It seems that the entire nation’s attention is on gun violence and legislation. Are there any specific moments that inspired your work to make these issues a focal point of your practice?
Since I lived in Europe for most of my life, when I moved to San Francisco two years ago I felt a big clash of cultures. I found myself very intrigued and disturbed by this “gun culture” where it is natural to see a police in the streets showcasing a big gun and also how often I come across guns lovers/enthusiasts. The more I watched TV news the more I was afraid of leaving the house. There was even a moment, by pure ignorance and fear overdose, where I swore I wouldn’t step in Oakland as every single night TV news would show a shooting in Oakland.
All this seemed very alien to me but my work not only focuses on gun violence and legislation in the USA, but it is also inspired by international events, more specifically in South Africa where Safari hunting tourism enables people to pay exorbitent rates to go hunt wild animals (such as white lions) and in Uganda with Joseph Kony, the leader of a resistance group that abducts children to become child soldiers.
A lot of people question me if I’m against or in favor of guns. I believe that is not the point. I’m anti-violence and anti animal cruelty but more importantly I’m against the fear that is constantly fed to us by the media, I’m against these deceptive governments that makes us think we need a gun to defend ourselves and feel safe, I’m against politicians that puts us against each others by dividing us in the “one’s in favor” and the “one’s against” guns, when the focal point should be the government should be doing their job so we wouldn’t need to be debating about the right to own a gun. How many guns do we truly need to feel safe? And when do we cross the line of defending and attacking someone? How does the media go about the selection of which news to share with us, and why?
Ultimately, I’m not here to say who’s right or wrong. My objective is to make you think twice about what’s presented in front of you and realize the fine line between reality, perception and deception.
When looking at your sculptures, there is a careful intricacy that makes your attention to detail obvious. How long do you spend on each one?
It varies from piece to piece. I take longer time observing and experimenting with all the different sized toy guns to figure out exactly which shape, movement and emotion I want to convey on each piece. None of these pieces works the same way as the other, as in some sculptures everything from the thought to the process goes very smoothly, but in other more complex and intricate pieces, the solutions come as I’m working intensively on it and figuring it out.
For materials you’re working with toy soldiers and toy guns. Does having a young child affect your perception of these items?
Having a baby boy definitely affects my perception and relation to these particular “boy toys”. Being female I never, in my childhood, played with these type of toys, and now that I use them as my medium to express such a strong and controversial subjects, these specifics toys have gained such a level of emotion and intensity that sometimes I wonder how, in the future, I will convince my little boy of never playing with any of these.
The reason why I work with plastic toys soldiers and toy guns on my sculptures is to emphasize the contradictions our society lives in by taking this fragile and worthless object (that reflects a child’s innocence) out of context to create this elaborate and ostentatious taxidermy inspired shiny trophy.
Also having a baby consolidated my vision and perspective in regards to my focal subjects. Before I would see myself as an artist trying to expose my perception of current daily events, right now, as a mom, I feel more responsibility to try to make a difference and to make it a better world for future generations.
As viewers walk around “Calibre,” they may notice that anywhere they stand there is a weapon pointed directly at them. Is this perceived threat intentional?
When I first decided to make the “Calibre” piece I knew I wanted to make an approximately life-size howling wolf where the limitations of a plastic gun would dissipate as much as possible by placing and gathering them appropriately in a way to mimic the organic flow of the wolf shape and fur. Although I was certain I wanted the guns around the head to be all pointing up and outwards (to better replicate the act of howling), everything else just happened as a consequence of pursuing the right shape, tension/energy of the wolf’s body. My goal is that, even just for a second, you forget you are viewing a sculpture made of toy guns, and you might actually be looking at a wolf howling under the moonlight. An art piece is much more than the reason why it was created in the first place, and hopefully you can see that and experience that while viewing the show.
BY 472 GALLERY OCT 4, 2012
“Urban Junglr” by Melanie Alves
472 Gallery will be proudly exhibiting work by artist Melanie Alves at 472 Jackson Street in San Francisco, California. Alves’s work is an understanding of our Identity- as a “self” and as a physical part of a whole. On her Urban Jungle series, Alves uses animal masks to describe the diverse layers we use daily to survive in this society and how “DECEPTION is the NEW REALITY”.
Born in San Jose, California, in 1983, but raised in Portugal, Alves studied Fine Arts at Porto University, Portugal from 2001 to 2006. She went on to study at École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts (E.N.S.B.A) de Bordeaux, in France- where she was awarded with a Merit Scholarship- and École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts (E.N.S.B.A.) of Paris. In Paris, Alves attended master class of the artist Christian Boltanski.
Alves´s work uses a variety of techniques and mediums to bring harmony to dualities such as expressive vs controlled, figurative vs abstract, impulsive vs contained. Her medium varies between Acrylic, Chinese ink and Spray Paint over canvas and paper. Recently she has challenged herself to begin a new chapter: Sculpture.
Inspired by daily experiences and by the global news, Alves´s work touches political and cultural issues such as economic crisies, society paradoxes and globalization.
Surprisingly enough, her biggest influences do not come from painting. Even though the art of Francis Bacon will always be what ignited her artistic pursuit, Alves has been mainly influenced by the interaction of Installation Art, the motion of Vídeo Art and the marginality of Street Art. Some of her favorite artists are Christian Boltanski, Louise Bourgeois, Marina Abramovic, Bill Viola and Banksy.
Melanie Alves is excited to be showcasing Urban Jungle at 472 Gallery, a combination of paintings and sculptures from the 1st piece of the series up to the newest ones.
por Rita Costa 25 de Julho 2023
“Vozes da Avó” é uma casa-útero, uma lugar de afetos e Melanie Alves, a autora desta instalação que quer promover o ´Colo como Ativismo´ a partir das histórias de 8 matriarcas, a artista plástica luso-americana construiu esta casa. Uma casa forrada de memórias que valoriza o papel dos avós.
por Diana Fonseca 26 de Julho, 2023
A Ambiente Magazine foi conhecer a autora da instalação de arte urbana “O Colo Como Ativismo”, para saber mais sobre a história por de trás da sua preparação e como o upcycling é mote no seu trabalho artístico
Para Melanie, a sua arte cria-se sempre a partir de algo “apaixonante e importante” para si, mas o objetivo é tocar a mais pessoas, como é o caso do “Colo Como Ativismo”, onde se quer “formatar a mentalidade” em relação aos consumos, ao tempo das coisas e ao prazo da vida.
por Isabel Rosa 3 de Junho 2023
Entrevista na RTP África no dia da inauguração da instalação “Vozes da Avó”- “A Largos metros do chão erguem-se rostos de sabedoria, numa fusão de linhas e tecidos nascem histórias de resistência. Um lençol pesado não tanto pela quantidade de tecido que o envolve mas sobretudo pelo passado que carrega”.
Programa apresentado por João Baião 13 de Julho, 2023
BY MESEL ISAAC FEB 19, 2014
“In a biting social commentary, artist Melanie Alves has created Hunting Season, an exhibition of taxidermy-like animals made from toy guns.
On display at the Shooting Gallery Project Space until March 8, Melanie Alves' sculptures are of wolves, deer and lions constructed using toy guns, chicken wire, plaster and toy soldiers. Hunting Season explores the issue of gun violence and the "manufacturing of a culture of fear" in America. Her use of toy guns and toy soldiers symbolizes our distorted image of violent guns into that of a playful thing of beauty, referring to her taxidermy pieces as "society's trophy to itself.”
BY ANDREW LASANE FEB 18, 2014
“San Francisco-based artist Melanie Alves recently opened an exhibition of eight toy gun sculptures at the Shooting Gallery . Alves uses chicken wire, plaster, toy guns, and toy soldiers to create sculptures in the shape of animal heads for her aptly titled "Hunting Season" exhibition. The work is meant as a comment on issues of gun violence and the "loss of core human values" in a power-hungry, individualistic, and greedy America”.
"Hunting Season" opened on February 8 and will run through March 8. Head to the Shooting Gallery Project Space website for more information.
BY WARHOLIAN FEB 7, 2014
Shooting Gallery Project Space Presents:
Hunting Season
Shooting Gallery Project Space is pleased to present Hunting Season by San Francisco-based artist, Melanie Alves, featuring eight taxidermy-inspired sculptures comprised of toy guns and spray paint. The opening reception will be Saturday, February 8, from 7-11 pm, and the exhibition is free and open to the public for viewing through March 8, 2014.
Hunting Season is a continuation of the artist’s exploration into current social issues of gun violence and the manufacturing of a culture of fear. Through cleverly crafted sculptures, Alves draws attention to America’s focus on power, greed, and the individual, and the worry that it has lead to the loss of core human values. She translates this loss into the powerful imagery of the toy gun (the “playful” or distorted appropriation of an object of violence) as a thing of beauty and pride in the form of taxidermy, referring to these pieces as “society’s trophy to itself.”
BY MONIQUE DELAUNAY FEB 17, 2014
“An Even Eleven” Eleven Year Anniversary Group Show at Shooting Gallery.
“An Even Eleven” group show now on view commemorates Shooting Gallery and White Walls’ 11 years of gallery exhibitions and programming in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district. Its 50+ local to international participating artists include those who have previously exhibited in the galleries, as well as those who will be in the galleries in the upcoming year. “An Even Eleven” is also a celebration of the one-year anniversary of the gallery’s move into its current location at 886 Geary Street, where the space underwent significant expansion and major additions were made to its exhibition capacity and programming, including two new Project Spaces.
“An Even Eleven” includes artwork by artists Duncan Jago, Andrea Heimer, David Soukup, Vhils, Tes One, Mary Iverson, Niels Shoe Meulman, Victor Castillo, Marco Rea, Amanda Marie, Meryl Pataky, Ernesto Yerena, Adam Ziskie, Sten & Lex, Greg Gossel, Jeremiah Kille, Remi Rough, Mark Warren Jacques, Lauren Napolitano, Mike Shine, Melanie Alves, Kelly Tunstall, Ted Lincoln, Ferris Plock, Word to Mother, Brock Brake, Spencer Keeton Cunningham, Rone, Poesia, Anthony Lister, Casey Gray, Cleon Peterson, Bec Winnel, Charmaine Olivia, David Marc Grant, Ben Clarke, Dan Tague, Faith 47, Chazme, Helen Bayly, Apex, Peter Gronquist, Mike Davis, C215, Robert Christian Malmberg, Sergio Garcia, C3, Porkchop (Michael Lavalee), Mauricio Garrido, the Clayton Brothers, Yumiko Kayukawa, Joseph Martinez, Cyrcle, Lucas Soi, and more.
“An Even Eleven” will be at Shooting Gallery, 886 Geary St through April 5, 2014
BY ART BUSINESS FEB 7, 2014
City of Eternal Springtime - Jet Martinez; I Haven't a Single Explorer on My Planet - Olek; Hunting Season - Melanie Alves; Re-imagination of the Book - Kerry Miller.
Comment by AB: This month's artful episode at the White Walls / Shooting Gallery Quadraplex features kaleidoscopic cascades color by Jet Martinez in the two main spaces, crazy rainbow crochet by Olek covering the entire interior of the front right project room, animal sculptures made from toy soldiers and guns by Melanie Alves in the rear right project room, and fancifully imaginative altered antique books by Kerry Miller. Worth seeing.
BY STEPHANIE ECHEVESTE FEB 7, 2012
"La Jungla" Wild Animals Inhabit Wonderland SF
Friday night Wonderland SF was a menagerie. We stopped by for the opening of "La Jungla" only to be bombarded by octopuses, owls, horses, a giant bear, and, yes, a peacock.
The fashionable crowd poured out of the store/gallery and oozed between the rows of indie designer clothing, jewelry, and accessories that fill the front part of the space. It's hard to get to the back gallery without finding a new addition to your wardrobe or a spectacularly unique pair of earrings. Irene Hernandez-Feiks, owner and curator, greets all who enter, making sure everyone feels welcome and gets information on the featured artists and designers.
The work played on a clear theme -- animals -- but the installation highlighted the variety of color, size, detail, and media, which created a harmonious environment more like a sanctuary than a zoo.
The center sculpture, Bear Gone Homeless by Melanie Alves, was the most delightful to view and discuss. It stands more than six feet tall and is Alves' first sculpture, made out of packing paper Alves used on her recent move from London.
BY ART BUSINESS JAN 4, 2013
Urban Jungle, Deception at D-STRUCTURE
Melanie Alves essays on animals-- both real and symbolic-- in paintings, installations and sculptures composed of weapons assembled into trophy heads.
