Melissa Sutherland Moss

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Melissa Sutherland Moss (b. Brooklyn, NY) is a Costa Rican American interdisciplinary artist working across collage, painting, video, sound, text, and installation. Her practice explores the construction of landscape, language, and the intertwined histories of the Caribbean and the United States, viewing landscape as a cultural and historical artifact shaped by memory, identity, and time. Through processes of accretion, erasure, and extraction, she uncovers hidden layers of stories and identities embedded in the land, creating a dynamic tension between what is visible and what is concealed.
Her work has been recognized and exhibited at The Biggs Museum of American Art, and she has participated in notable residencies including ArtCrawl Harlem, Chrysalis Institute for Emerging Artists, The Alliance of Artist Communities, and Zea Mays Printmaking mentorship program. Her artistic contributions have been featured in publications such as <i>Black Enterprise</i>, <i>Forbes</i>, <i>Essence</i>, <i>Modern Luxury</i>, and <i>Refinery 29</i>. Currently pursuing her MFA at the Maryland Institute College of Art, Moss divides her time between New York, and Baltimore, MD.
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Statement

My interdisciplinary artistic practice weaves together the threads of my inherited migration story, exploring the repetitive nature of time through the lens of my Costa Rican-American identity. Through processes of accretion, erasure, and extraction, I create intricate patterns and motifs that serve as vessels for cultural memory. These techniques allow me to delve into the complex interplay between truth and speculation, challenging traditional notions of race and nationality. Through various mediums and techniques, I investigate the profound influence of the environment on identity, particularly within the context of migration. This approach unveils the intricate web of narratives that shape who I am, revealing layers of history, culture, and personal experience. My work serves as both a personal expression and a dialogue with the past and present, inviting viewers to reflect on their own cultural inheritances and the multifaceted nature of identity in our interconnected world.

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State

New York

Country

United States