This June, Artereal Gallery is pleased to present our first exhibition with Sydney-based artist Heidi Melamed.

Heidi Melamed’s painting practice is a journey into the realms of form, colour, and the interplay of light. With an ever-curious eye for new materials and techniques, she seeks to capture what she describes as ‘the joy of seeing.’ Combining experimental innovation with a meticulous dedication to detail, Melamed’s work is firmly rooted in the realm of geometric abstraction.

At the heart of Melamed’s exploration lies an invitation to ponder the everyday transfigurations that surround us — those moments of unexpected beauty hidden in the mundane. Through her mastery of color and light, Melamed beckons viewers to contemplate the subtle transformations that occur in our midst.

This exhibition showcases a selection of works previously featured in solo exhibitions, each offering a unique glimpse into Melamed’s artistic evolution. From the transformative sculptures of MOnuMENT, crafted from industrial offcuts, to the vibrant abstract landscapes of the Vertex Series, composed of pencil shavings and pigments, and the ethereal Combine Panels, which explore the concept of painting with light in spatial dimensions, this introductory exhibition invites viewers on a visual journey through Melamed’s captivating vision.

In my artistic exploration, I am captivated by the interplay of form and color. With a humble tool like the pencil, I embark on a journey of creativity, delving into the remnants found at the bottom of a pencil sharpener. Twenty Two Pencils emerged from the deliberate sharpening of twenty-two pencils, where I dismantle a spectrum of colors, using both the colored wooden shavings and the granular pencil pigments to craft intricate fields of color.

Each delicate shaving is meticulously arranged on the canvas, forming patterns that evoke lyrical abstract ‘color maps’ or imagined landscapes. Through this process, I redefine the pencil’s conventional role as a drawing instrument, discovering its latent potential as a medium for painting. In this unintentional transformation, I transcend the pencil’s original purpose, delving into the realm of transmutation.

My work delves into the aesthetic possibilities inherent in overlooked and discarded materials, inviting viewers to contemplate the concept of everyday transfiguration. By elevating these seemingly mundane objects into the realm of art, I seek to evoke a sense of wonder and appreciation for the beauty hidden in the ordinary.

In Combine Panels, I draw inspiration from the parabolic trajectory of a bouncing ball to inform the design of perspex shapes. Influenced by the kinetic sculptures of Alexander Calder, my work blurs the boundaries between painting and sculpture. Each panel features acrylic-painted backgrounds onto which laser-cut perspex shapes are arranged, creating a dynamic interplay of form and light.

These perspex shapes, strategically positioned at angles reminiscent of the ball’s trajectory, appear to hover above the surface, casting elongated shadows that extend beyond the panel’s borders. Their transparency allows colors to spill beyond the confines of the board, infusing the surrounding space with vibrant hues. Through this interplay of light and color, I explore the concept of painting not only on the surface but also within the spatial dimensions.

Combine Panels are designed to be experiential, engaging viewers in a dialogue with the artwork and prompting contemplation of the relationships between colors. By inviting viewers to immerse themselves in the interplay of light and form, my work fosters a dynamic interaction that transcends traditional artistic boundaries.

Encased in mirrored acrylic, the MOnuMENT series features two distinct structures, MOnuMENT White/Copper and MOnuMENT Black/Silver, each composed of four tracery-board offcuts sourced from a perspex fabrication factory. These offcuts are meticulously assembled to create a rectangular portal of negative space at the center, with an illusionistic ellipse of light framing the ‘doorway.’

In crafting these structures, I carefully select tracery patterns found within the offcuts, unifying the disparate surfaces through spatial arrangement and the application of paint. A spotlight effect is employed, seemingly bathing each object in focused illumination, enhancing the interplay of light and shadow.

Beyond their aesthetic significance, these structures inadvertently become monuments to the tracery boards’ unknown history. Originally utilized as bases for the laser cutting process to manufacture shapes for mass acrylic products, they now find new life as artistic expressions, imbued with a sense of mystery and transformation.