An Exciting Season Ahead for Melanie Thompson
This summer and autumn promise to be an extraordinary period for one of our core artists, Melanie Thompson, as her interdisciplinary practice takes centre stage across a series of inspiring national and international projects.
An International Collaboration in Tokyo
In late August, Melanie travels to Tokyo after being invited to collaborate with a renowned Japanese Butoh artist and her filmmaker son, on a specially commissioned work for an international arts festival. The project will draw on elements of Sanctuary, the immersive work Melanie presented here at the gallery last year, introducing this deeply personal and evocative project to a new international audience.
This exciting collaboration reflects Melanie's ongoing exploration of movement, place, memory, and human connection, while opening new creative conversations across cultures and artistic disciplines.
Step by Step at the Shoemakers Museum
19th September - 3rd October
Returning to Somerset, Melanie will present Step by Step, a new installation and sound work created in collaboration with composer Helen Ottaway at the newly opened Shoemakers Museum in Street.
Running for three weeks as part of Somerset Art Weeks, the installation will be accompanied by three live performances every Saturday, bringing together music, dance, and visual art in a richly immersive experience. Visitors can expect a thoughtful dialogue between sound, movement, and space, highlighting the power of collaboration in contemporary practice.
Noah and Naeem at the Atkinson Gallery
From September through to November, Melanie's multimedia work Noah and Naeem will be exhibited at the Atkinson Gallery at Millfield School in Street. The exhibition opens on 11th September and showcases another facet of her diverse artistic practice, combining installation, film, sculpture, and storytelling to create work that is both visually compelling and emotionally resonant.
A Practice Without Boundaries
For Melanie, these three projects represent the breadth of her interdisciplinary practice. Whether working through performance, installation, film, sculpture, dance, or collaboration, she continually seeks new ways to explore ideas and connect with audiences.
We are incredibly proud to see Melanie's work reaching new audiences both internationally and here in Somerset, and we look forward to following her creative journey over the coming months…
To learn more about Melanie Thompson and her work, visit her website: melaniethompson.me.uk.
