Melaina Thompson (she/her) was born in Pittsburgh, PA and is currently pursuing a BFA in Studio Art at Cornell University. Working in print media, drawing, photography, and ceramic sculpture, her practice explores power, gender, and representations of the female body. She employs traditional craft mediums such as handmade paper to question the denigration of these mediums. In addition to being a visual artist, Melaina is a writer and often incorporates her own writing into her work. 

Melaina has exhibited her work in group shows in Ithaca, NY and her hometown of Pittsburgh, PA and had her first solo exhibition at Cornell’s Tjaden Hall Gallery in the spring of 2024. You are most likely to find her in the intaglio studio working on her latest etching.

Mission Statement:

I am an interdisciplinary artist working across printmaking, alternative photographic processes, sculpture, and other process-based mediums. I create female avatars and the worlds they inhabit, drawing from mythology, the subconscious, and contemporary critical theory. My work questions the representation of women and the female body through imagined imagery and self-portraiture.  

My lifelong interest in narrative, storytelling, drawing, and illustration has shaped the aesthetic of my work. Materially, I am interested in printmaking because of its history in aiding social justice movements, and for its ability to be disseminated easily. I use craft mediums such as papermaking, book making, and other expanded print media to challenge the often gendered denigration of these forms. 

I ground my personal experience and family history with Feminist Studies and on-the-ground social movements such as Riot Grrrl. My work creates a place where women can see their full humanity realized. By depicting female sexuality, aggression, rage, and desire alongside vulnerability, softness, and care, my characters evade categorization, stereotyping, and simplification—demanding the viewer to engage with their own perceptions of women, femininity, and the constraints of gender.

Contact

mmt223@cornell.edu