This is the third blog on my Clore Fellowship/Wellcome Trust sponsored study visit to the USA. See the others here.
I interviewed Melanie about her practice and her engagement in the New York City government’s Public Artist in Residence (PAIR) programme. Melanie’s work as part of PAIR explores the intersection of architecture, symbols and criminal justice outcomes. She is looking through this lens at the restoration of the Staten Island justice centre. The visual language of the triangle, with its strong associations with hierarchy, is both present in the physical architecture of the courthouse (see image below) and the culture of the institution and the justice system. An alternative symbol for Melanie is the circle, manifest in youth justice circles she runs young people involved in the criminal justice system. Melanie hopes to run one of these sessions at the Connecticut quarry which sources the stone for the restoration. Melanie’s practice presents a powerful approach to bringing materiality and shape to more abstract notions of justice and criminal justice policy. These are a fascinating set of insights to consider as part of my research on the role of art in policy.
Melanie explained how the PAIR programme was supported in partnership by NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) and the Department for Design and Construction (DDC). DCLA provided a strong central, coordination and conceptual role, whilst DDC were the lead policy department for Melanie’s placement. Funding is split 50:50. Both organisations were part of the recruitment panel, and Melanie now benefits from weekly support meetings with them both. The scheme lasts 12 months which is very tight (especially if relying on slow procurement processes). The first 3-4 months focus on interviews, shadowing and research. The general intention is that an artwork is completed by the end of the placement, and that work can remain in situ for beyond the 12 months.
Finally, Melanie provided some interesting advice to me as an artist: focus on making and exhibiting work.
Check out Melanie’s amazing work here, and more information on the Public Artist in Residence scheme here.
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I am the Wellcome Trust sponsored Clore 16 Fellow. In 2022 as part of this Fellowship I travelled to New York, Santa Fe and Los Angeles.I met the artist-led entertainment space innovating how audiences engage with evidence, an artist pushing the boundaries of interspecies collaboration, and the climate team in the New York City Government who brought artists in to transform the cuture of the workplace. Read about them and others here.