Melanie Flood Projects

I opened Melanie Flood Projects in my apartment at 186 Washington Avenue Brooklyn, NY back in 2008, and in downtown Portland in 2014. Since its inception, MFP has exhibited over 300 artists, in solo and group exhibitions and art fair presentations. As with many of my peers, the past two years has been a time of introspection and reevaluation - I’ve loved presenting the work of other artists but am aching to be back in my studio full time. So… I’m thrilled to announce that MFP is on hiatus, so that I may pursue my own studio practice. Funny how things work - as soon as I firmed this up in my mind, I was offered an incredible solo institutional exhibition opportunity, as well as a two person exhibition, both in 2024. Meant to be! Big love to curatorial consultant and friend Yaelle S. Amir, mentor and travel bestie Amy Adams of Adams and Ollman, and Jeanine Jablonski, who represented me at her gallery Fourteen30 Contemporary and whom continues to champion my photography. And the hugest thanks/hugs of course to all the artists that I worked with so closely for many years, especially Sari Carel, Maria Antelman, Rose Dickson and Amy Bay have been paramount in my life as an Artist/Curator. Here’s to all of our changes in 2023 - external and internal and beyond. Love, Melanie Photo credit: @ninaleejohnson Painting by @derektylerfranklin #artistrungallery

Rainen Knecht's richly colored paintings examine beauty, humor, and horror themes. Pulling from her experiences as a new mother while grieving her mother's death from cancer, Knecht's hybrid, feminine figures playfully enact feminist revenge fantasies as they lounge, bend or contort into suggestive puzzles. Unbound by convention, they are sexy, angry, ugly, and funny. Amply endowed, but often with withering or oversized appendages, these figures question the line between alien and real, human and animal, self and other. 𝘛𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 is on view through December 17. This exhibition is supported by funds from the Oregon Arts Commission.⁣⁣

JOHN OPERA & RACHELLE BUSSIÈRES in conversation in the new issue of BROADSIDE designed by Oskar Radon. Existing at the intersection of photography and sculpture, Rachelle Bussières’ work investigates our wider human experience through light, perception and space through the lumen print process. Recent solo exhibitions at Melanie Flood Projects (Portland), Penumbra Foundation (NYC), Johansson Projects (Oakland, CA) and Robert Koch Gallery (San Francisco). Awards include the Penumbra Foundation Workspace Fellowship, Canada Council for the Arts (Research and Creation), an honorable mention for the Snider Prize from the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago, and Finalist for the Aperture Foundation Portfolio Prize. She was an artist-in-residence at Silver Art Projects, Penumbra Foundation, Banff Center, SÍM, Vermont Studio Center, and Headlands Center for the Arts. She lives and works in Brooklyn, NY. Her work is present in various public, corporate, and private collections, including the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago, Four Seasons Hotel, SFMOMA Library and Archives, Facebook (commission mural) in Sunnyvale, Instagram, Inc., Microsoft, Brookfield and Penumbra Foundation in New York City. John Opera’s photo-based work combines a deep interest in the visual characteristics of natural and scientific phenomena with a rigorous experimental approach to the techniques and apparatuses by which photographs have been defined and produced. Opera’s exhibitions include: June Art Fair (Basel), DOCUMENT (Chicago), Higher Pictures Generation (New York), Shane Campbell Gallery (Chicago), Andrew Rafacz Gallery (Chicago), The Suburban (Milwaukee), The Museum of Contemporary Photography (Chicago), Transformer Station (Cleveland), Contemporary Art Museum (St. Louis), and is featured in the second volume of MP3, co-published by Aperture and the Museum of Contemporary Photography (Chicago). Opera’s work has been reviewed by Artforum, Artforum.com, The New Yorker, Flash Art, The Chicago Tribune, The Miami Rail, The Buffalo News, and Chicago Artist Writers, among other publications. Copies are free in the gallery or can be shipped within the USA for $7.

RAINEN KNECHT⁣ 𝘛𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨⁣ ⁣ In form and multi-paneled structure, the paintings here reference early Renaissance frescoes of Piero della Francesca and Filippo Lippi as well as multi-paneled Northern Renaissance altarpieces. The figures are in conversation with everyone from Fragonard to Art Spiegelman, existing between rendered beauty and Garbage Pail Kid putrescence. Figures have skin flapping behind them, in seemingly painless ribbons, as in or they leak milk,simultaneously scratched and squeezed. These choices are decidedly body-horror and Knecht’s interest in fairy tales is bolstered by a deep interest in horror. Situated in a recent art historical context in conversation with works by Joan Brown, Elizabeth Murray or Dana Schutz, as well as poets and writers including Alice Notley, Diane di Prima and Rivka Galchen.⁣ ⁣ 𝘛𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 is on view through December 17. This exhibition is supported by funds from the Oregon Arts Commission.⁣⁣

⁣ RAINEN KNECHT⁣ 𝘉𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥'𝘴 𝘌𝘯𝘥, 2022⁣ Oil and acrylic on linen, artist frame⁣ 97 1/4h x 49w x 1d in⁣ ⁣ Rainen Knecht's new paintings reflect the artist's experience as a new mother in a rapidly dying, deeply destructive, and yet incredibly beautiful world. This mixture of dread and delight is reflected in the show’s title, which is a play on the title of a mindfulness epic called “Full Catastrophe Living” as well as Martha Stewart’s namesake “Living”. Not exactly a guide for better living, these paintings tap into the dark humor that provides a crutch to Knecht in her search for parenting prowess as well as the pathos that the inevitable, often constant “failures'' inspire.  The figures depicted here hover between self portrait and abstracted, stylized forms. Knecht has said that they invoke her interest in epic figures such as giantesses and ogresses in numerous folk traditions as well as including pop cultural references such as Lowly Worm (of Richard Scarry book fame) or Fox Motocross gear in the details.⁣ ⁣ Rainen Knecht (b. 1982) holds a BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute. Her exhibition history includes solo and two-person exhibitions at Fourteen30 Contemporary, Portland, Oregon; SITUATIONS, New York, New York; and CAPITAL, San Francisco, California, as well as recent group exhibitions at Shulamit Nazarian and Various Small Fires in Los Angeles, California; Fisher Parrish, Brooklyn, New York and Stems Gallery, Brussels, Belgium. In 2021 she was awarded the Hallie Ford Fellowship. She is based in Portland, Oregon.⁣ ⁣ This exhibition is supported by funds from the Oregon Arts Commission.⁣ ⁣ 𝘛𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 is open this weekend, Friday and Saturday from 12-5pm.

⁣ RAINEN KNECHT⁣ 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘚𝘬𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘹 (𝘚𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘗𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘔𝘰𝘮), 2019⁣ Oil on canvas, artist frame⁣ 44 3/4h x 35w x 1d in⁣ ⁣ 𝘛𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 is on view through December 17.⁣⁣⁣ Special hours this weekend are 2pm-5pm Friday and Saturday. ⁣⁣⁣ This exhibition is supported by funds from the Oregon Arts Commission.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

⁣⁣ RAINEN KNECHT⁣⁣ 𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘩 𝘢𝘵 𝘚𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘌𝘥𝘨𝘦, 2022 ⁣⁣ Oil on linen, artist frame⁣⁣ 103 1/2h x 54w x 1d in⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ In form and multi-paneled structure, the paintings here reference early Renaissance frescoes of Piero della Francesca and Filippo Lippi as well as multi-paneled Northern Renaissance altar pieces. The figures are in conversation with everyone from Fragonard to Art Spiegelman, existing between rendered beauty and Garbage Pail Kid putrescence. Figures have skin flapping behind them, in seemingly painless ribbons, or they leak milk,simultaneously scratched and squeezed. These choices are decidedly body-horror and Knecht’s interest in fairy tales is bolstered by a deep interest in horror. Situated in a recent art historical context in conversation with works by Joan Brown, Elizabeth Murray or Dana Schutz, as well as poets and writers including Alice Notely, Diane di Prima and Rivka Galchen.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣ 𝘛𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 is on view through December 17.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ This exhibition is supported by funds from the Oregon Arts Commission.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

⁣ RAINEN KNECHT⁣ 𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭-𝘙𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘵, 2022 ⁣ Oil on canvas and linen, artist frame ⁣ 82h x 95w x 1d in⁣ ⁣ “I want to stimulate, to fluctuate, to put something together that feels like the truth as I know it,” says Knecht. “I want to filter my interest in art history, pop culture, and basically trash, into something more nuanced than pastiche, more funny than self serious, more weird than elegant.”⁣ ⁣ 𝘛𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 is on view through December 17.⁣ ⁣ This exhibition is supported by funds from the Oregon Arts Commission.⁣

⁣ RAINEN KNECHT⁣ 𝘉𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥'𝘴 𝘌𝘯𝘥, 2022⁣ Oil and acrylic on linen, artist frame⁣ 97 1/4h x 49w x 1d in⁣ ⁣ Rainen Knecht's new paintings reflect the artist's experience as a new mother in a rapidly dying, deeply destructive, and yet incredibly beautiful world. This mixture of dread and delight is reflected in the show’s title, which is a play on the title of a mindfulness epic called “Full Catastrophe Living” as well as Martha Stewart’s namesake “Living”. Not exactly a guide for better living, these paintings tap into the dark humor that provides a crutch to Knecht in her search for parenting prowess as well as the pathos that the inevitable, often constant “failures'' inspire.  The figures depicted here hover between self portrait and abstracted, stylized forms. Knecht has said that they invoke her interest in epic figures such as giantesses and ogresses in numerous folk traditions as well as including pop cultural references such as Lowly Worm (of Richard Scarry book fame) or Fox Motocross gear in the details.⁣ ⁣ Rainen Knecht (b. 1982) holds a BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute. Her exhibition history includes solo and two-person exhibitions at Fourteen30 Contemporary, Portland, Oregon; SITUATIONS, New York, New York; and CAPITAL, San Francisco, California, as well as recent group exhibitions at Shulamit Nazarian and Various Small Fires in Los Angeles, California; Fisher Parrish, Brooklyn, New York and Stems Gallery, Brussels, Belgium. In 2021 she was awarded the Hallie Ford Fellowship. She is based in Portland, Oregon.⁣ ⁣ This exhibition is supported by funds from the Oregon Arts Commission.⁣ ⁣ 𝘛𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 is open this weekend, Friday and Saturday from 12-5pm.

꧁TOTAL CATASTROPHE LIVING꧂ a solo exhibition by ⁣⁣ ＲＡＩＮＥＮ ＫＮＥＣＨＴ⁣ opens 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 Saturday November 19 with an artist reception from 12-2pm.⁣ ⁣⁣ Accompanying the exhibition is commissioned poetry by 𝕄𝕠𝕣𝕘𝕒𝕟 ℝ𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣.⁣ ⁣⁣ Rainen Knecht was born in 1982 and lives in Portland, OR. The artist received a BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute in San Francisco, California in 2006. Solo exhibitions of Knecht’s work include: R U my mother? at Fourteen30 Contemporary in Portland, Oregon (2021); Attitude Problem at CAPITAL in San Francisco, California (2018); and Daydream of Darkness, a two-person exhibition with Nicola L at SITUATIONS in New York City (2018). Group exhibitions that have shown Knecht’s work include: Milk of the Poppy at CAPITAL in San Francisco, California; Geranium at Stems Gallery in Brussels, Belgium; Hecate at Various Small Fires in Los Angeles, California; Chimera at Fisher Parrish in Brooklyn, New York; Turn back! Turn back! at Shulamit Nazarian in Los Angeles, California; and Run with the Wolves at The Pit in Los Angeles, California. In 2021, Knecht was awarded The Hallie Ford Fellowship. This exhibition is supported by funds by the Oregon Arts Commission.

Today is the last day to view How to Make a Mirror, a solo show by Pittsburgh based artist Lyndon Barrois Jr. Thank you to Curator Yaelle S. Amir for organizing such a stunning exhibition. The gallery will be open from 12-5. VN-Y-001, 2020 (from the series Vague November) Laserjet prints, chipboard, cotton, printer ink 16in. x 12in.

Lyndon Barrois Jr. How to Make a Mirror curated by Yaelle S. Amir Bloom, 2019 Jacquard woven cotton 50in. x 60in.