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Meliange Comenencia

textile , social , to paint , Diaspora , Design , Decolonization , Community , Autobiographical , Artistic research

Meliange is a storyteller, creator and dreamer raised in Rotterdam with Curaçaoan roots. With her background in Fashion Design and Cultural Studies, she combines both philosophical and socio-cultural topics in her work. Vulnerability, history and healing are central to her artistic work. She does this by using her personal stories and knowledge from cultural studies. The message is to be Vocal In Color. The unashamed presence of minorities in a society. These are the feelings and experiences that I know, that I include in my work. In the hope of triggering a thought in people who may or may not identify with my embodied knowledge as a person of color living in a Western society.rnrnThrough various media such as; crochet, fashion design, painting, spoken word and poetry, Meliange tries to tell stories, create and dream.

Balance
Balansa - In my project Balansa I explore themes of stagnation, loneliness and the search for your own identity within the pressure of culture, society, faith and family. These themes form the core of my work, in which I portray my personal quest for self-discovery and inner peace. The three self-portraits Konose (Knowing), Balansa (Balance), and Roseya (Breath) illustrate my striving to let go of imposed expectations and to be authentic. Balansa symbolizes the transitional phase in which you realize that it is time to choose for yourself and to determine which cultural and spiritual values ​​are important for your identity. The project invites viewers to reflect on their own identity and the role of culture, faith and family in this. It poses questions about the influence of external expectations and the freedom to follow your own path. In Balansa I use memories and feelings of silence, inspired by the natural colors and stories of my Curaçaoan background. Through textile collages and painting I offer a vulnerable insight into my transitional phase. The work is a visual and emotional exploration of my search for authentic self, and invites others to reflect on their own journey of self-discovery.
Island of Healing
Island of Healing - Island of Healing is about the special bond between me and my mother. My own experiences with my mother form the core of the project. In addition, the book The Deep by Rivers Solomon helped me shape the visual elements, clothing and texts. This book is about the history of black women, the influence of water on our bodies and the desire for the future. In the performance, two main characters are depicted: the daughter, who is rebellious, ambitious and fierce, and the mother, who is shy, protective and afraid of the future. These characteristics are reflected in the clothing and the text of the performance. Nadira Jansen plays the mother, while I play the daughter. Together we bring to life a story that explores the depth and dynamics of our relationship and expresses the hopes and fears for the future. In addition to my embodied experience, the book The Deep by Rivers Solomon inspired the visual expressions, clothing and textual references to the history of black women, the impact of rough water on our bodies and the desire for the future.
UNSALTED May
ONGEZOUTEN Mag - A series of collages about the unvarnished, unfiltered and unashamed presence of black people and their voices in the Western world.
Black Femininity
Black Femininity - My painting is a response to comments that undermined my self-confidence as a young woman. It shows the power of the black woman, who decides for herself what to do with her hair, body and mind. The woman in the painting stands on the rocks of Curacao, where my roots lie and where many of those comments come from. She looks out over the Caribbean Sea, which symbolizes the route of her ancestors from West Africa to the Caribbean. The painting reinterprets the traditional image of the naked woman in art, who was often depicted as an object from non-Western cultures, without its own autonomy. Where earlier nudes such as Aphrodite or the women of Rubens were glorified, often white and passive, I present a new vision. In my version, the woman is no longer a slave or an exotic object, but an embodiment of black femininity as I have experienced it during my own development.
Alessandro de'Medici
Alessandro de' Medici - In this project I chose Alessandro de' Medici as my subject, a duke from the Italian Renaissance with North African origins who, despite his high status, faced discrimination. His story shows how racism and discrimination still persist, regardless of status or achievement. To reinforce this message, I designed a jacket made from upcycled jeans from the brand Kings of Indigo that were no longer sold. By combining fashion with historical themes, I pay tribute to the resilience of Alessandro de' Medici and highlight the ongoing fight against discrimination in our time.
Neptune Rotterdam
Neptunus Rotterdam - For the 75th anniversary of Neptunus Rotterdam, I developed a project that emphasizes both the celebration of the club and my personal background and culture. As someone who grew up with baseball, a sport deeply rooted in the Curaçaoan community where my father played professionally, this project is a tribute to that heritage and my roots. I designed new home and away kits, plus aprons for the canteen staff, by upcycling old kits and fabrics. This emphasizes sustainability and the reuse of materials. The identity of Rotterdam is integrated into the new style through the use of the color green, adding an extra layer of connection and pride to the team and the city.
Healing Ritual
Healing Ritual - Healing Ritual is my autobiographical project in which I explore my journey as a young black woman growing up in the Netherlands. I struggle with my identity and constantly ask myself the questions: "What determines my freedom? What holds my freedom back? Where is my safe place? How do I survive?" These questions form the basis of my daily existence. In the video I search for peace through rituals that connect me to my Curaçaoan roots, such as the use of Florida water and blue, which offer protection. These rituals help me find balance between my inner world and the outside world and express my desire for healing and self-acceptance. The garments I wear in the video are inspired by dashikis. To me, they represent the unity of the African diaspora and symbolize my connection to my African heritage. Through these clothes I feel strengthened in my identity. Healing Ritual is my personal quest, but I hope it also conveys a universal message. I invite the viewer to reflect on their own experiences with identity, freedom, and safety, and to find their own rituals for healing and self-acceptance.
Vocal In Color - capsule collection
Vocal In Color - capsule collection - Participation in The New Fashion Society Fashion Show with my first mini capsule collection, Vocal In Color, consisting of contrasting colors, crochet and upcycled garments.

Balansa: Healing High Tea

Date:
Location: Cultureel Educatief Centrum Dordrecht
In association with: Cultureel Educatief Centrum Dordrecht

An intimate event in which I invite visitors to reflect on themes such as identity, cultural heritage and inner balance. In a homely setting I share my intuitive creative process and the stories behind my paintings. Visitors compose their own herbal tea, read about the effects of the herbs and enter into conversation with me and each other. The event offers space for peace, healing and connection.

https://www.cecd.nl/event/balansa-healing-high-tea/

Date:

Balansa

Date:
Location: Cultureel Educatief Centrum Dordrecht
In association with: Cultureel Educatief Centrum Dordrecht

“Balansa” by Meliange Comenencia explores themes such as stagnation, loneliness and the search for one's own identity in an environment that is heavily influenced by culture, family and faith. Through five self-portraits, Meliange tells the story of the search for liberation and invisibility. It highlights the 'transition phase' in which one realizes that it is time to choose for oneself and to determine which values ​​and standards are important for one's personal identity. Personal

https://www.cecd.nl/nieuwe-expositie-balansa/

Het Nagesprek

Date:
Location: Studio de Bakkerij
In association with: Studio de Bakkerij

The Nagesprek; a theatrical talk show about images of (re)cognition and strength. Rotterdam is getting a monument, a work of art in memory of the city's colonial past. What is its value and meaning? How can images acknowledge pain and trauma and be a source of inspiration and strength?

https://www.dehavenloods.nl/agenda/2024/11/22/het-nagesprek-een-talkshow-over-de-door-werking-van-kolonialisme-onder-makers-55825

(In)visibility: Gendered Notions of Caribbean Identities

Date:
Location: Gemaal op Zuid
In association with: Suelae Robinson

In this joint exhibition Suelae Robinson and I explore Caribbean identities, labor, and resilience. Suelae’s work includes three textile collage portraits of mothers as queens, accompanied by audio conversations about unpaid labor. My work Balansa addresses the developments in identity within cultural expectations. This project builds on my earlier work Healing Ritual, which explores my struggles with expectations from my Curaçaoan background and faith.

https://hetgemaalopzuid.nl/agenda/

SOUTH EXPLORER

Date:
Location: Gemaal op Zuid

In Balansa I explore themes of stagnation and loneliness in an environment full of cultural, social and religious pressure. My three self-portraits explore letting go of imposed expectations and finding inner peace. This project builds on my previous work Healing Ritual, in which I explored my struggles with expectations from my Curaçaoan background, Catholic faith, and experience as a black woman in the Netherlands.

NOW TALKS: VERSTRENGELDE TRADITIES

Date:
Location: Maaspodium

Guest speaker at Now Talks: Entwined Traditions. Panel discussion about stereotyping, identity, shame culture, conventions and colonial influences within the Afro-Caribbean diaspora.

Dive Festival

Date:
Location: MONO
In association with: IFA ACE

During the exhibition of the study association IFA ACE I presented my work Black Femininity, a response to comments that undermined my self-confidence as a young woman. The painting shows the power of the black woman, standing on the rocks of Curacao, with the Caribbean Sea as a symbol of her ancestors. By reinterpreting an iconic nude, I show the black woman as a powerful, autonomous figure who defines her own femininity.

Fashion Show

Date:
Location: Westeljik Handelsterrein
In association with: The New Fashion Society

Participation in The New Fashion Society Fashion Show with my first mini capsule collection, Vocal In Color, consisting of contrasting colors, crochet and upcycled garments.

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