ARTIST TALK: Melissa Meier, Nature's Masquerade

MELISSA MEIER's first series in this exhibit, Skins consists of wearable sculptures made from organic materials including grains of rice, dried pasta, pistachio nut shells, flowers, and porcupine quills, among others.

Alongside her wearable organic constructions, Nature’s Masquerade presents a collection of ceramic sculptures from Meier’s Masks series. Using clay, ceramics, and glass eyes, Meier fabricates oversized masks that convey a range of emotions. She then stages models with the masks and photographs them in unusual, dream-like environments. 

“My art work is an exploration of both the natural world and the self. The organic constructions are just another form of expression and revelation that needs to be peeled away, as are the masks. They look like different themes, but to me, they are telling the same story.”