Melissa Ling: Near and Far

Chinese American Arts Council/Gallery 456 is pleased to present Melissa Ling: Near and Far. on view from

July 12, 2024 through July 26, 2024.

Exhibition Statement

Near and Far presents two bodies of work that question perception and boundaries.

The colored pencil drawings depict scenes in nature that appear unnatural. Like Kudzu, a plant from Asia introduced to the U.S. in the late 19th century, what was once seen as beneficial can change to symbolize invasion. The landscapes are as familiar as they are alien, prompting the question of who belongs in this space. The red color contemplates violent reactions to the perpetual foreigner in past and recent history and how prevailing attitudes can shift quickly from admiration to fear. The fragility of mark-making in each drawing reflects back to us something about the enigma of our own nature and biases and how small notions fester into larger perceptions.

The paintings investigate the root of outsider sentiments and recontextualizes the past to address the present. The figures in the paintings, spanning three generations, fix their gaze upon a future that is neither assured nor known. Referencing personal and found family photos to glean who these people were, they left clues about their existence in their surroundings and demeanor; in their experiences and viewpoints; and in their collective sense of recognition and estrangement.

Artist Bio

Melissa Ling is a visual artist based in New York City. She was an artist-in-residence at the studio program at PS122, as well as a recipient of the FST StudioProjects Fund and The Harpo Foundation Grant for Visual Artists. She was awarded the 2023 Jackson’s Painting Prize and was a finalist for the inaugural K11 Artist Prize. Her drawings have been shortlisted for the Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize and the Derwent Art Prize. She received her BFA from Pratt Institute.

­

Gallery 456

Hours: M-F, 1-5PM and by appointment

Address: 456 Broadway, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10013, Elevator Accessible Contact: (212) 431-9740 | [email protected]

Website: www.caacarts.org | Instagram/Facebook/Twitter: @caacarts

Chinese American Arts Council's Gallery 456 Visual Arts Exhibition Series is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Gove­­­rnor and the New York State Legislature.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Chinese American Arts Council / Gallery 456, 456 Broadway, 3rd Floor, New York, United States