MELISSA JOSEPH AT BROOKLYN MUSEUM Tracing the thread between her installation and Aunties Inside
Photo Courtesy of Paula Abreu Pita
Step onto the Brooklyn Museum plaza and experience ‘Tender’, an outdoor installation by ART FOR CHANGE artist and recent UOVO Prize–winner Melissa Joseph. Transforming the museum’s outdoor plaza into a space for gathering and reflection, Joseph invites viewers to explore how public art fosters human connection. For ‘Tender’, Joseph frames these touching scenes in hexagons, referencing the 16th-century marble mosaics that make up the famous floor of Italy’s Siena Cathedral. Reproductions of Joseph’s compositions are displayed on the Iris Cantor Plaza, enlarged to showcase her labor-intensive technique and sensuous materials.
The exhibit will be on view til November 2nd, 2025
Photo Courtesy of The Brooklyn Museum
Melissa Joseph’s 'Tender' expands on themes first explored in earlier works such as 'Aunties Inside'. Bothshow “deceptively mundane moments, meditating on simple interactions between friends and loved ones—people eating, resting, laughing, and embracing.” - The Brooklyn Museum
Installed on the Brooklyn Museum’s plaza, 'Tender' transforms the
space into one of quiet contemplation, inviting viewers to consider the emotional landscapes we carry with us.
MELISSA JOSEPH Aunties Inside 17.25 x 24 inches Archival pigment print
Limited Edition of 10 Hand-embellished, signed, and numbered by the artist
Limited Edition of 20 with 4AP Signed and numbered by the artist
Created in collaboration with ART FOR CHANGE in 2021, ‘Aunties Inside’, features four of her father’s sisters in India, as a visual exploration of the understated yet integral role that aunts play within the family structures of many cultures. The image, which casts the women seated together as though they were holding court, derives from a photograph taken by the artist during a visit to her grandmother’s home.
As in other works within her practice, Joseph’s depiction is intended to inspire consideration of the ways that her chosen subjects occupy space. For the hand-embellished prints, the artist has included elements such as fabric and Indian embroidery mirrors that her aunts gifted her.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Photo Courtesy of Paula Abreu Pita
Melissa Joseph’s multimedia practice explores themes of diaspora, family history, and the politics of space, with a focus on connecting people through collective memory and shared experience. Known for her distinctive fiber-painting technique, the Brooklyn-based artist—whose roots trace back to India and Ireland—creates richly textured works that reflect a deep sense of belonging and cultural inheritance. Her intimate scenes, often depicting quiet moments of eating, resting, laughing, or embracing, radiate warmth, care, and the quiet power of everyday connection.
