Melodie Provenzano “Seeing Oneself in Others”

Nancy Margolis Gallery

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Nancy Margolis Gallery presents its upcoming exhibition for painter Melodie Provenzano, Seeing Oneself in Others.

Inspired by ancient Buddhist principles of attaining liberation through acts of selflessness, still-life artist Melodie Provenzano devised an exhibition concept that honors this notion. “Instead of making art pertaining to my life, I decided to celebrate the artwork of others, highlighting group harmony.” Provenzano borrowed six sculptures by six different artists working in or around New York City, which she brought back to her studio, studied, and painted from direct observation. Provenzano’s hyper-realistic aesthetic resulted in six, larger-than-life representations of these sculptures, each one unique in size, medium, and style.

Seeing Oneself in Others presents the six paintings Provenzano produced, along with the six sculptures that inspired them, exhibited all together in one space. The sculptors whose works she selected are Jae Yong Kim (Seoul, South Korea), Matthew McCaslin (Bay Shore, NY), Shari Mendelson (Schenectady, NY), Michelle Segre (Tel-Aviv Yafo, Israel), Arthur Simms (District of Cross Roads, Saint Andrew, Jamaica), and Jeanne Tremel (Minneapolis, MN).

Constructed using a wide range of materials—from thread and wire to ceramic and metal—the six sculptures unite under Provenzano’s paintbrush to form a cohesive whole. What’s more, by translating the visually disparate three-dimensional objects into individual acrylic-on-canvas paintings, Provenzano calls attention to the artworks’ many similarities, and urges viewers to spot relationships between them. Reflecting on the underlying connectedness of these artworks, Provenzano suggests: “The exhibition is a microcosm pointing to the reality that every human is related.” Seeing Oneself in Others focuses on Provenzano’s personal desire to identify with these six artists and embrace elements she shares with them. At the same time, it carries a universal message about the importance of cultivating humility and compassion.

Melodie Provenzano (b. 1974, Hudson, NY) lives and works in New York City. After receiving her B.F.A. from Parsons School of Design in 1996, she freelanced for more than a decade painting window displays, showrooms, and various commissioned projects for fashion companies including, Saks 5th Avenue, Donna Karan, Louis Vuitton, Ferragamo, Chanel, and Hermés. At this time, she sharpened her drawing and painting skills while developing her fine art. Provenzano has exhibited in group shows at The Brattleboro Museum (Vermont), The Chelsea Art Museum (New York), and Geoffrey Young Gallery (Massachusetts), and solo shows at Lyons Wier Gallery (New York), Goya Contemporary (Maryland), Carrie Secrist Gallery (Illinois), and The University School of Nashville (Tennessee). Seeing Oneself in Others marks Provenzano’s fifth exhibit at Nancy Margolis Gallery.