Exhibition

By its role and emotional density, the doll reminds us of the first objects that comforted us in childhood. For Melissa Ichiuji, it helped to renew the creative energies within the family space. The doll, with its suggestive and "rudimentary" shape, gives free rein to everyone's imagination. Anthropomorphism is at the heart of this experience, man projecting himself onto the world around him by attributing to it human traits and emotions.

"One of the distinctive features of Melissa Ichiuji's work is her use of contrasts: the continuity and discontinuity between internal and external body parts, idealized femininity, innocence and erotic scenes, graceful figures, and delicate fabrics alongside entrails and other organs. The artist confronts the spectator with his own corporeality by playing with his fascination for his external image and his revulsion for his inner parts. The contrasts between the doll's innocence, an idealized femininity, and erotic scenes are captivating. Ichiuji speaks through 'this substance of jouissance,' 'our body,' and how to reinvent every moment."

Jeanette Zwingenberger
Excerpt from the exhibition catalog