Mel Galley

Currently based in Dublin, Ireland, I grew up between the Dales and Cumbria in the UK. My closeness to these rural landscapes has heavily influenced my research; specifically how industrial or military activity exists alongside motifs of 'wilderness' in these areas. Growing from an early (and ongoing) love of science-fiction and anti-/utopian literature, in my practice I construct unreal places, translating ideas through mediums from contemporary technologies of CAD and CGI to laser etching and printmaking. Creating these unreal places allows me to analyse and reorder research, offering an alternative point of entry into existing discussions on place, ecology and ethics. I studied at Leeds College of Art and Manchester School of Art, and in the past two years I was awarded Young Cumbrian Artist of the Year and 2nd Prize, Practitioner Category, at the RIBA Eye Line competition. I have completed residencies in Manchester, Penrith, Barrow-in-Furness and Velez-Blanco.

about:

Every Slight Shift', CG image, a place where once-used pillboxes drift ever further into the estuary, fragile fortifications eaten by the tide, 2022.

Image courtesy of the artist.