“I came to weaving through a process of elimination,” explains New York City-based artist Luam Melake. Architecture, which the artist studied at the University of California, Berkeley, was “too big”; the materially experimental furniture that makes up the second mainstay of her practice “requires a lot of downtime as things cure and dry”. Instead she found the loom allowed for “immediate experimentation”.

Ironically, hand weaving is not often celebrated for its immediacy, but like so many things the distinction is relative. In her work as a materials researcher for the built environment the time to construct a building, rather than a textile, is Melake’s norm. But she recognises that the material solutions she sources can often be overlooked by a hurried visitor. Instead, Melake’s attention to the possibilities of our material world find an outlet that enjoys the viewer’s full attention in her textiles and furniture.

During a residency at the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) in New York City in 2017, Melake “wanted to find a way for others to look inside themselves”. She showed materials of undisclosed purpose to visitors who were then invited to share thoughts about what the materials evoked. A series of weavings were created in response. While surprised at the confessional nature many of the conversations revealed, Melake found the project confirmed her fascination with the communicative power of materials. “The things I make are related to objects that are recognisable and for daily use,” she offers. Related to, but far from identical.

Melake’s weavings often move against the ninety degree angle interlacing of warp and weft the loom was created to control. Earlier works such as Recovery (2016) use the techniques of lace and tapestry needle weaving to “dissolve the grid that is fundamental to the practice of weaving”. She combines materials such as cold-applied copper and cement with the porous structure of the textile, describing the work as a landscape of varying emotions which appear in “the consistent process of healing and mending oneself, as well as the relentless threat of despair and depression that threatens to engulf and to harden”.

Remains (2018) works with another unusual material composition, bringing together Acrylic and Lurex fibre with polymer clay and cellophane. Instead of the emotional earth of Recovery, here Melake refers to archaeological sediment of a “topographical section, revealing a history of clay, earth and pottery fragments, followed by layers of plastics and petroleum products”. Attention to evocative material compositions is also apparent in Outpouring (2019) where rubber tubes droop expressively. An alchemy of tar, rubber, steel wool and cement sit alongside imitation gold and silver leaf in Without Qualities (2018), while tabs of squishy polyurethane foam, nylon thread, urethane and flocking fibres suggest material litmus tests in Parts That Fell Away (2019). “I think it is easy to dismiss what is recognisable,” Melake offers of the line she seeks between the familiar and the hard-to-place.

In addition to weaving, Luam Melake has begun a new furniture series called Optimisd (a blending of the words “optimist” and “optimized”). Listening Chair (2019) and Better Together Table (2019) offer positions from which we can watch, cradle or hear another person – a response to the “alienation and a decline in empathy” common not only in America, but across the globe today. While she is quick to acknowledge that this is not work that claims to solve the world’s problems, it is “a desperate attempt to do something; an optimistic attempt.”

Recently, Port, Porte, Porter (2019) has taken Melake’s own hand weaving into a larger scale. As a special commission from Fondation Blachère, the work was handwoven at Manufacture Sénégalaise Des Arts Décoratifs, an organisation established by late poet, cultural theorist and former President Léopold Sédar Senghor in 1966. The project was managed by Versant Sud in Marseille, who are dedicated to the development of artistic and cultural projects in the south of France and capital cities on the African continent – geographic areas which share the challenge of limited local arts infrastructure.

Luam Melake drew her initial inspiration for the tapestry from Rahim Danto Barry’s book Portes d’Afrique, which charts the many material and symbolic thresholds of sub-Saharan Africa. In French, the title Port, Porte, Porter offers a linguistic pun, suggesting various versions of movement both by sea and through doorways – places of exchange which offer poignant references to the histories of colonialism and the trade of enslaved peoples westward from the African continent.

Despite the considerable experience of the weavers working at Manufacture Sénégalaise Des Arts Décoratifs, Melake’s selection of jute, raffia and synthetic fibres were unconventional, challenging materials to weave. After the textile was completed in Senegal, Melake applied clay and plaster paint to the woven surface and an aluminium structure was created in the workshops at Fondation Blachère. “I want to push tapestry to three dimensional forms” she offers. Luam Melake’s textiles and furniture are creations that no longer resemble one taxonomy. Instead they offer curious hybrids of materials and techniques that refuse to be limited by the expectations of a single category or definition.

Port, Porte, Porter (2019) will be exhibited in Sumegne/Ngaparou, opening at the Fondation Blachère in October 2020.

Luam Melake (American, born 1986) graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a BA in Interdisciplinary Field Studies, majoring in Architecture and Art History in 2008. She has collaborated with public and private institutions on commissioned projects and has been artist in residence at leading institutions including the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha and the Blachère Foundation in Apt, France. Melake lives and works in New York City.

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For Nahusenay, the creation of a work of art comes from the mind and the heart. His works are born from pious meditations and are meditatives. In 2018, the artist has been selected for the first edition of Versant Sud artistic residency program in Marseille, France. During his artistic residency, Leikun Nahusenay has created a series of works composed of pastel drawings on cardboard. He also made a large tapestry inspired by his drawings in Aubusson, the best reference of tapestry know-how in France and in the world – is listed as an intangible heritage of humanity by UNESCO since 2009. Artskop3437 spoke with him about the narratives of his works and how he experiences the current situation of Covid-19 as an artist.

How do you define yourself as an artist ?

I am first and foremost a multidisciplinary artist. I work with collages, photos, painting, woodcutting and graphic design. Despite my degree in woodcutting, my main interest remains drawing. I draw lines in images. I like to experiment. Recently I’ve been working with the peeling of the photo.

Tell us more about the process of creating your drawings.

I enjoy drawing lines in pictures. I make a black and white close-up composition, like a chessboard where I draw the drapery of the garment and then come to the subject of body and soul, which could be a faceless person.

You seem to particularly like the pastel drawing technique as many of your drawings are created using this technique. Can you tell us more about it?

L.N: First of all, pastel is a technique that I feel comfortable in, that I am good at. In addition, pastels allow me to give me more freedom in the expression of my art. When using pastels I feel the work comes to me smoothly, I am able to express my work in the exact forms, colours and shapes that I want.

Tell us more about the series “Body vs Soul”? When we look at some of your works of that series, we notice ghostly, faceless silhouettes that recur repeatedly, especially in the works “Enate” or “lips lover VI”?

L.N: “Body vs soul” is the series I worked on during my residency in France. In this body of work, I try to represent how our body and souls are sometimes separated. In certain situations, our body can be present, but our soul / our mind is wandering, is elsewhere. One day, I was sitting in a café in Addis Ababa, and there was a woman sitting at a table further away who seemed to be waiting for her boyfriend. He never showed up. The young woman was physically in the café but she was not present.

In the “Lips lovers” series, organic floral forms are combined with more geometric shapes. What is this series about?

L.N: This series also represents the connection (and disconnection) of our ‘body and soul’. The organic floral forms here represent the love stories that cause this (dis)connection. In the ‘lips lovers’ series I represent the traditional way wherein those fresh love kisser try to cover themselves for a kiss, trying to hide from others.

In the work “Enate”, a set of symbols is present. Can you tell us more about it?

L.N: Most of these symbols are representations of the Amharic alphabet. I use Amharic alphabet in my art to give them sound / a voice. Also, I really feel they add to the beauty of it, adding fine art elements: texture, design, symbols. In those words, I express the many things that come to my mind, things for which I wonder whether they are right or wrong, which I question (eg. things that I heard on the radio).

Many of these texts are, for example, Amharic proverbs or expressions of the Ethiopian way of saying things in “Wax & Gold” (wherein “wax” is the obvious meaning, the “gold” is the hidden meaning). With them, I give expression to the contradictions of our existence, as black and white, light and shadow, day and night, absence and presence souls, being here and there, today and tomorrow, etc.; which tells story on ‘shadows’ like… (don’t leave your shadow), (Sharpen shadow) which is related the woman in  ‘chess’ is in thought of black & white, day & night, absent & present mood.

I think Shadow has life in me, it can do what we do and also shadow mean time today tomorrow. The woman in chess also in a shadow of here and there.

The works seem to be imbued with spirituality. Can you tell us more?

L.N: I feel that our spiritual experiences mix with the more physical / earthy ones. Like the ‘body Vs soul’ series: our bodies experience one reality, and our soul experience another reality. For example, in the ‘lip lovers’ I wanted to express their strong spiritual connection in the physical act of the kiss.

What did your recent artistic residency with Versant Sud in Marseille teach you?

During my residency with Versant Sud, I mixed my Ethiopian experiences with those lived in Marseille. It was the first time that I made a large tapestry of 100 x 140 cm from one of my drawings. I learned to work with digital tools, whereas in my culture it is common to work with hand weaving. Working on tapestry in Aubusson – which has a long history of weaving in France and in the world -, allowed me to think more about the fabric, the traditions between these two regions Marseille and Addis Ababa. In the future I would like to continue working with fabric more often.

How do you experience the current confinement of the at COVID-19?

L.N: I am actually enjoying to stay at my studio and produce more art. Off course, I miss going out and spending time with friends, however, at the same time, I am using this opportunity to pray, meditate and create art that can cure all human being from the virus.

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The structure’s ambition is to provide support in contemporary artistic creation and in the dynamisation of these two markets. Versant Sud has developed a programme of artistic residencies and exchanges that allows artists to take time away from the constraints of everyday life to devote themselves to experimenting with their practice. This residency program reveals talent, enables the professionalization of artists, offers meetings with buyers and plays a decisive role in the development of artists.

To reach these challenges, the artists will be supported in three areas:

• An artistic cross-production residency between Marseille and an African country,
• Discussions in art schools,
• Online sales and/or participation to a contemporary art fair

During her/his production residency, the artist is invited to carry out three missions:

• An artwork in collaboration with an art craft of her/his choice,
• A silkscreen,
• About ten artworks with the artist’s preferred medium.

Past residencies

In 2018/2020 the chosen partner country was Ethiopia.

• In 2018, component 1 of the residency programme welcomed the Ethiopian artist Leikun Nahusenay toMarseille. Watch the video on Leikun Nahusenay’s residency: here
• His French binomial Fabienne Guilbert Burgoa was welcomed last December in Addis Ababa. Watch the video on Fabienne Guilbert Burgoa’s residence: here

Call for Applications 2020, General Conditions

This call for applications concerns for the second year the selection of an Ethiopian artist for a residency to take place in Marseille from August 1 to September 30, 2020.

To support Ethiopian creation, Versant Sud proposes this residency to young graduates of art and design schools and professional artists under 35 years old living in Addis Ababa. All artistic disciplines are accepted (plastic arts, photography, painting, drawing, engraving, sculpture, etc.). Video and digital arts are not accepted.

This production residency includes the artist’s collaboration with an art craft. At the time of application, the artist chooses a subject with which she/he would like to work and develops a basic idea, which will evolve during the residency. The principle is to use the raw material of a leading manufacturer/artisan in their field and bring it to life through an original artistic project. It is also about stimulating the craftsmen’s spirit of creativity and innovation by confronting them with the vision of an artist.

Terms of selection

The invited artist in residence is selected via this call for applications posted on the versantsud.org website and partner sites (on-the-move.org for example). 10 candidates will be pre-selected by the Versant Sud team to be presented to a jury of professionals.

The selection criteria :

• Plastic quality of the artistic work and innovative character
• Relevance and technical feasibility of the production project to the craft
• Ability to confront and interact with the place of production (past residencies, stays abroad)

Practical information: 1 August – 30 September 2020

Eight weeks of effective residence. Follow-up will be coordinated by Versant Sud team at a minimum of one appointment per week (logistical support, help in reflection, provision of tools, networking, choice of service providers, etc.). The artist will be welcomed in Dos Mares, Marseille.

Accommodation in Marseille: The accommodation and the studio of the artist are located at the Residence Dos Mares (in the heart of Ville in Marseille). The artist will benefit from a 1 bedroom and 1 private workshop (with tools available). The bed linen and towels are provided (presence of a washing machine and an internet connection). The artist has access to the production workshop every day and 24 hours a day. During the residency, the artist is required to bring tools, computer equipment and materials necessary for her/his work.

Course of the residency

• Week 1: Welcome and immersion of the resident in Marseille (tourist and cultural visits)
• Weeks 2, 3, 4: Production of a artpiece in collaboration with a local craftsman
• Weeks 5, 6: Publishing a Silk-Screen print
• Week 7: Creation of original artworks
• Week 8: Presentation of the work carried out in residence to the general public and schoolchildren.

Archives made during the residency: two videos in instagram and Youtube format. Post-residency: for one year, a post-residency follow-up may be set up on a voluntary basis by the artist and Versant Sud to support artistic exposure. This option will be the subject of a second contract for the deposit of a selection of works created during the residency.

Financial means supported by the Versant Sud The selected artist will benefit from :

• A round-trip plane ticket from Addis Ababa to Marseille
• Accommodation and a workshop for 8 weeks- a residence allowance of 300 €/month for catering costs
• Material necessary for the realization of original works
• A service from a craftsman for the realization of an artpiece
• An edition with a local printer
• An instagram teaser format, a documentary in Youtube format, and making of pics usable for the artist’s communication on her/his networks.
• Reimbursement of airport shuttle fees and the cost of returning the artworks

Expenses to be borne by the resident artist

• The visa and administrative costs of the artistic residency
• Personal travel expenses related to daily life during the artistic residency
• The resident artist will have to take out compulsory repatriation insurance for the duration of her/his stay. A certificate must be attached to the residence agreements.

How to apply?

The complete application form must be sent by e-mail before June 13, 2020 (midnight) to: contactversantsud@gmail.com, indicating your first and last name in the subject line of the e-mail, according to the following model: VS2020_LASTNAME_First name. Beyond 10 mo, it is preferable to send your application via Wetransfer.com.

Note that all documents must be sent at once.

The application must include :

• A curriculum vitae in PDF including a list of previous exhibitions and residencies, name, address, ageand family situation. Please name this file: LastName_FirstName_CV
• An artistic or professional file in PDF, including visuals of the works (don’t forget to caption and dateyour visuals). You can also include in this artistic folder, URL links to videos and interviews. Please compile your visuals in a single PDF and name this file: LastName_FirstName_Artistic Folder
• A note of intent of the residency project with the chosen craft in PDF (one page). Thank you for namingthis file: LastName_FirstName_Project2020

Legal framework and commitment of the artist

A residency agreement specifying the commitments of Versant Sud and the host artist will be signed before the beginning of the stay.

The resident artist commits to :

• Lead the cross artistic residency to its end and participate in the weekly residency follow-up (exceptions are made in case of emergency only). The artist is invited to work regularly in the studio, with a minimum of twenty- four hours per week.
• At the end of the production residency (week 8), the artist-in-residence will be asked to devote a maximum of 10 to 20 hours of his or her residency time to public and school group presentations.
• Collaborate with a local craftsman to create a common work of art.
• To collaborate in the publication of a silkscreen print that will accompany the production and the residency release.
• Conceive and produce a body of work
• To be present when leaving the residence and to ensure the assembly and dismantling of the works.

Ownership and return of works created in residence

The works created during the residency (works created in collaboration with the craftman and a corpus of original artworks) may, depending on the artist’s choice, either be returned to the artist after the residency (the dimensions of reasonable works will have to be discussed with the artist at the beginning of the residency), or stored in Marseille as part of a deposit for one year. 50% of the silkscreen stock will be returned to the artist, and 50% to Versant Sud with a view to being put up for sale respectively.

The works created within the framework of the residency are the property of the artist.

Contact VERSANT SUD – 1, place de la gare de la Blancarde 13004 Marseille Mail: contactversantsud@gmail.com

Website and call online: versantsud.org

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