Melissa West

My work explores the fine line between comfort and menace in our most common stories and shared experiences. The place where they meet is sometimes fraught with tension, sometimes filled with magic.

In my prints I often depict the characters who populate myths, legends, and fairy tales, but transplant them into a modern or neutral setting. The tension thus created helps viewers see these familiar tales anew, and think about the ways they remain relevant to the modern world.

We might be able explain events with facts, but we still feel compelled to tell stories. The human experience is always dense and multi-layered. I try to capture that complexity in my work.