Delta van Melle was a Bosacademie resident in May, participating with Ten Years Het Bos festival.
How do you develop your art skills?
I tend to develop my artistic skills through hands-on experience. Rather than adhering to structured hierarchy's, I embrace an intuitive approach. I prioritize exploration, allowing my inner child to guide me as I navigate through creative processes. It's about diving headfirst into experimentation, embracing mistakes, and learning from failures along the way. While others may opt for classes to master the craft, I'm drawn to the unpredictability of self-discovery. For me, art is not about meeting expectations but rather about challenging norms and finding the potential of materials in transformative ways that embrace not only my practise but also my way of living and being.
When is your favorite time of day to create?
My favorite time to create is during cleanup – whether it's in the morning, at night, or as I'm wrapping up my day. I often find myself unexpectedly inspired while tidying, turning the mundane task into a creative practice. Another favorite time is during lunch; it's a moment of clarity when ideas effortlessly fall into place. These seemingly ordinary moments become precious opportunities for unconscious creativity, ones that I deeply cherish and seek out..yet these moments are kind of rare funnily enough.
How does your work comment on current social or political issues?
My work can serve as a reflection of the pressing social and political issues of our time. I try to prioritize mental health and slowing down in life, it is not only a personal choice; it's a statement of resistance. By nurturing our well-being, we empower ourselves to support others and raise our collective voices, fostering unity in times of division.
Drawing inspiration from urban environments, I explore the interactions of gender dynamics within our societal framework. Through a blend of cemented imagery, critical and most honest childlike drawings and the windows that host these pictures, my art captures raw truths unaffected by external influences. Whether depicting the simple joys of existence or the harsh realities of the surroundings.