Name:
Melinda Morey
E-Mail:
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Concept:
My memorial is at once an homage to, and a mockery of, the reliquaries
found in the tradition of European Catholicism. I am fascinated by
their obsessiveness, the attachment of spiritual power to the
corporeal body. The decadent, ornate beauty of these objects also
strikes me.
In life my work deals with internal processes, from the
literal/metaphoric functioning of the internal organs (as seen through
the filter of my interest in Chinese medical theory and yoga), to the
functions of memory and perception. It seems only appropriate that in
death I would create a memorial which honors the symbols of such
processes my internal organs.
The structure of my piece derives from the forms in Byzantine
iconographic art. The shapes of the doors; embossed gilded walls;
ornamentation and colored cut glass all pay direct homage to this
style I find so intriguing. I have sought out the richest surfaces
possible, to create a gemlike effect. I want the memorial to be a
jewel, with my organs the centerpiece. Embossed into the wall
surfaces will be my own writings, and images from my life. Other
images and symbols I have drawn inspiration from will also be
included, images that speak of interconnectedness of all life.
My organs will be displayed in cast acrylic resin, set into the
frontal wall - a sobering counterpoint to the surrounding opulence.
And yet I hope to stage a different reading of these "lowly" and
intensely personal, internal entities. There is a beauty in the
ceaseless and perfect functioning of these base elements, which
deserve elevation. The fact that such perfection exists beyond our
conscious control, yet within our own bodies, is a constant source of
awe.
In all honesty I wish I could be around to see my organs encased in
their new acrylic body! I would sit before them in gratitude, my
guts, the means by which I have navigated the world and assimilated my
life.
Bio:
Melinda Morey was born in Torrance, California in 1963, to an artist mother
and surfer-inventor father. Morey attended Art Center College of Design in
Pasadena, where she studied painting and illustration. She graduated from
the University of Arizona with a Bachelors degree, Magna Cum Laude, in
Studio Art. She worked as a commercial mural artist in Santa Fe, New York
and San Francisco, working in opera, theater and film before starting her
own studio in 1991. Doing business as Studio O.M.O., Morey has created
murals for hotels in Tokyo; Portland, Oregon; and Hawaii, as well as
numerous restaurants, residences and public spaces.
Her work has been shown in Tucson at Central Arts Collective, Local 803,
Dinnerware, and the University of Arizona's Joseph Gross and Arizona
Galleries; and at the Erector Square Gallery in New Haven, Connecticut.
At its core, Morey's work deals with internal processes - literally and
metaphorically - and addresses issues of duality; the duality found in her
conscious and regained memories, and the duality which
exists in the natural world. Melinda's outlook is inspired by her
involvement with modern dance, Iyengar style hatha yoga, and an interest in
Chinese and Ayurvedic medicines. The ocean is also a major
part of her life and continues to inform her work.
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