Demond Melancon
About Demond
DEMOND MELANCON | WWW.DEMONDMELANCON.COM | @QADAMAWI
Demond Melancon works solely with a needle and thread to sew glass beads onto canvas. He began this form of art in 1992 when he first became part of a 200+-year-old culture known as the Black Masking Culture of New Orleans. Today as a Big Chief, Melancon is well known for creating massive suits which he wears as a Black Masker in ceremonial battles on Mardi Gras day. The suits he creates are sculptural forms based on the size of his body and are composed of intricately beaded patches revealing a collective visual narrative.
Over the past five years, Melancon has developed an emerging contemporary art practice using the same beading techniques he’s applied over the past 28 years as a Black Masker. His work has been exhibited at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, Art Miami, the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Art in Brooklyn, and the Arthur Roger Gallery in New Orleans. Many of Melancon’s works honor Black subjects historically excluded from the artistic canon, often reflecting untold stories from bygone pasts to remind viewers of their interwoven shared ancestries and diasporic histories. As a self-taught artist, Melancon has been deeply influenced by the masters: from contemporary artists such as Kerry James Marshall, Barkley Hendricks, and Basquiat to Renaissance artists like Caravaggio and Botticelli.
The context of Melancon’s work reflects a broad variety of stylistic influences, features imagery rich with symbolism and meaning, and confronts stereotypical representations of Black identity. Melancon’s work reflects his deep interest in exploring the possibilities of visual storytelling and redefining the traditions of portraiture. Demond Melancon is one of the few artists to pioneer the use of glass beads as an accepted contemporary art medium in the larger arts sector. By reconsidering predominant narratives throughout our history, Melancon deliberately repositions historically overlooked subjects and reimagines institutional portrayal of the Black subject.
The Interview
Tell us about the music you chose to build your playlist and why you picked these Tell us about the music you chose to build your playlist and why you picked these songs.
I've been listening to the same type of music for 28 years. Music is the inspiration for everyday life. If I can't listen to music, I feel like I can't breathe. This playlist represents my love for Fela Kuti and Akae Beka, two artists who I listen to all day long.
Does the music you listen to inspire any of your work?
The music I listen to while working heavily influences all of my work. When I'm working in my studio, the music I'm listening to inspires me to put down each and every bead I sew. I tend to listen to UK dub reggae in the morning to get a spiritual feeling going into my work. When it's time for me to get moving fast, I turn to Fela Kuti.
Who is your top artist and why?
It's so hard to say just one. For visual artists, I'd have to say Barkley Hendricks... but I'd also have to mention Kerry James Marshall. For music, my top artists are Akae Beka and Fela Kuti. These people are masters to me and deeply influence the work I do.
Tell us about your process and how you tune in when you are ready to begin creating.
My process for getting tuned into my work before starting a new piece actually involves looking at some other artists' stuff. People I consider masters, I like to go see what they are doing to light a fire within me to get inspired.
Tell us more about your practice. What inspires your work and how does your playlist inspire you?
As a Big Chief in the Black Masking Culture of New Orleans, my art has consisted of working with a needle and thread to sew glass beads onto canvas to create visual narratives. Over the past five years, I've developed a contemporary art practice using the same beading techniques to create intricately beaded portraits. Through my beaded art, I'm trying to explore the possibilities of visual storytelling and redefine the traditions of portraiture. This playlist inspires my work and every bead I sew.