110th Anniversary Artist Statement

“My two paintings were created as a pair; they are based on
the same portrait but painted differently. With flower wreaths around the heads
and warm, sunny colors, one appears slightly more feminine and the other more
masculine. Together, they explore the idea of balance and unity between genders
to the point where they are meant to feel almost genderless. The bright, sunny colors
and flowers represent youth, life, and the energy that keeps humanity moving
forward. The title "Sun Followers" reflects a sense of
steadiness and the constancy of being through life and time — a quiet
resilience found in the everyday rhythms of existence, much like the sun that
gives energy and life, and the humans who (knowingly or not) align their days
with its path.” – Melinda Matyas

Melinda Matyas is a London based artist. She was born as an ethnic Hungarian in Romania in 1976 under the communist regime, and as a teenager she witnessed the sudden and violent uprising of the people, which eventually ended it.

She found the transition of the mass of people from the silent acceptance into the outburst of desire for freedom fascinating. The hidden mechanism that lies under the skin of human aspirations brought up Melinda’s interest in psychology.

In 2009 she graduated from the University of Art and Design, Cluj-Napoca receiving her BA in Fine Art, Painting. Later she moved to England in 2013.

Melinda’s interest in psychology and her research for understanding the source that adds meaning to ones life is one of the major influences in her work. Her main focus is the human condition, the internal world one experiences amidst the expectations of society.