ARTSpeak Lecture: Artist Derick Melander

Melander sorting clothing for his artwork.

Derick Melander, Tollens, 2015, second-hand clothing, antiquities, wooden armature. Courtesy of the artist.

Derick Melander creates artwork that examines the intersection between global consumerism and the intimate connection we have with what we wear. He creates large, geometric sculptures from carefully folded and stacked second-hand clothing. Sorted by hue, color, value or intensity, the garments are arranged to create patterns and gradients in the form of columns, walls, and enclosures.

Melander’s recently completed commissions include The Chapman Perelman Foundation, Eileen Fisher, and Diesel, and he has created special projects for Scope, Miami; The City of San Francisco; Columbias College, Chicago; and The City of New York. Melander’s work has been exhibited in the United States and internationally, including exhibitions at The University of Maryland; Starstreet Precinct, Hong Kong; the YIA Art Fair, Paris, France; de Warande in Turnhout, Belgium; Museum Rijswijk, The Hague, Netherlands; and The Solyanka Gallery in Moscow.

Melander will also be the artist in residence in FIT’s Art and Design Gallery Studio D223 in April.

This event is part of the ARTSpeak 2019–20 lecture series presented by the Department of Fine Arts and has been made possible with support from the School of Art and Design.

For more information, visit blog.fitnyc.edu/artspeak.

This event is free and open to the public.