Artist Derick Melander on getting unstuck
July 6, 2020
Already from a very young age, Derick considered himself an artist. He used to tell everyone around him about his dreams of making it in the art world. However, as Derick got serious about his future in the arts, his relatives expressed concern, which in turn planted the seeds of doubt and made him second guess his own plans.
After taking a break from his work as an artist, a hiatus which lasted 10 years, he returned to art school, completing his studies at the School of Visual Arts.  But after that, he found himself in a rut and decided that it was time to get unstuck! He set up a coffee date with an artist friend and together they soon starting creating projects together. Today, Derick is a visual artist who creates artwork that examines the intersection between global consumerism and the intimate connection we have with what we wear. He creates large, geometric sculptures from carefully folded and stacked second-hand clothing. You might wonder… “why use this material?” To Derick, it is quite clear that it’s the material that chooses the artist… Not the other way around.
“Artists don’t choose their materials, their materials choose them.” (Derick, 39:33)
You can also find Derick’s latest project A Covid-19 Memorial. For a more comprehensive look at his work, check out his website derickmelander.com
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Derick Melander is a visual artist who creates artwork that examines the intersection between global consumerism and the intimate connection we have with what we wear. Derick creates large, geometric sculptures from carefully folded and stacked second-hand clothing. These works often take the form of columns, walls and enclosures, typically weighing between eight hundred pounds and two tons.
He recently completed commissions for The Chapman Perelman Foundation, Eileen Fisher, Diesel and Swire Properties in Hong Kong. He created special projects for Scope, Miami, The City of San Francisco, Columbia College, Chicago and The City of New York.
