No one is quite as captivating as Jan Melka. The artist has compelled audiences with both her abstract figurative artworks and her unique style, as depicted in her Schön! 47 print cover story and documentary film where she wears all Chanel. The French-American artist has had a landmark year — ushering in three shows, a collaboration in Paris, and further projects on the horizon. It’s clear from her exhibitions in New York and Tokyo to London and Paris that her work resonates deeply with themes of isolation, imperfection, and nostalgia. Her intuitive compositions are marked by wild, unpredictable lines that seem to bounce off gallery walls or the exteriors of her self-made houses.
“There are no rules to art,” says Melka from her Paris apartment. “I believe that we should play with that freedom.” Inspired by the surrealists she admires, Melka’s oeuvre centers on abstracting the world around her, particularly the human figure. “People don’t have fixed bodies or personas,” she explains, “so I deepen gestures and portray human beings in movement.” This focus on movement guides her paintbrush, making her work compelling. Figurative ligaments cascade in broad black strokes, forming characters that dance ambiguously across the canvas. They overlap and merge into a whirlwind of textures, forging unique paths with vulnerability and strength.
With a fashion writer for a mother and a sculptor for a father, creativity runs in the Melka family. “Art was always a part of the home,” she explains. While her parents’ professions weren’t strictly art-oriented, creativity seeped into every aspect of their lives. “They can’t live without it. It’s always with them; from their personalities to how they eat, talk, and walk. I feel like I grew up with true artists who knew how to creatively express themselves beyond their careers.”
Inevitably, the mediums and ideas beloved by her parents influenced her creative journey. Her mother’s sophisticated fashion editorials inspired Melka to study graphic design, but she found the world of computer software stifling. “I kept avoiding the task at hand,” she recalls. “I felt driven by instinct, unresolved motions, madness, and the necessity to portray my identity through creativity.” Exhibitions soon followed, and her portrayals of the human figure evolved from round, smooth bodies to a heady vernacular of deconstructed forms.
Looking ahead, Melka has her sights set on São Paulo, Brazil, for her next exhibition. For this new venture, she is considering branching into furniture to create more opportunities for audience and artwork interaction. Perhaps most excitingly, she is currently working on a colour series—a departure from her monochromatic works. The horizon burns bright for this artist.
