Melissa Rodrigues

Melissa Milanca Balencante Rodrigues is Swansea based fine artist. Born in Guinea Bissau, Rodrigues lived in Portugal from young age until 2016.
Rodrigues graduated fine art at University of Wales Trinity Saint David in July 2019. Rodrigues’ work uses a variety of materials such as painting, photography, installation, and sculpture to explore issues of displacement, belonging, cultural identity and place identity. Exploring aspects concerning the movement of people across the world.
Cultural identity and sense of belonging are explored in Rodrigues’ work considering upbringings in diasporic communities that she herself is a product of. Thus, her research is deeply focused in finding connections, representation of ethnic actions in history and how it can influence one’s sense of self and self-worth.
A myriad of artists has influenced Rodrigues’ practice, the most prominent being Yinka Shonibare, Kara walker, Sonia Boyce, Grada Kilomba, Sidney Cerqueira amongst others.

Rodrigues is associated with the following local art organisations in Swansea:
• Glynn Vivian art gallery as a volunteer for two years, working in front of house and with the learning team, assisting with creative workshops.
• GS Artists Swansea, former Galerie Simpson, led by the artist Jane Simpson as an intern, as part of an artist led gallery this experience provided Rodrigues with a vast range of competences, such as curation, exhibition planning and hosting, exhibition installation amongst other skills.
• Axe Head to Everything collective, in collaboration with three other fellow students, Alina Skorohoda, Demian Johnston, Jeremy Gluck and Melissa Rodrigues have created this art collective that have allowed the collective to exhibit in Swansea, and to mentor younger art students of Swansea college of arts at UWTSD regarding how to organise an art exhibition in Swansea.

• Achievements

invigilation job at Venice Biennale 2019

• collaboration with art organisations

Creative workshops for Swansea College of Art UWTSD at Dylan Thomas Community school 2021.

Creative workshops for CAE and Swansea College of Art at Bishop Gore comprehensive school 2021.

Creative workshops at Mission Gallery 2021

Creative workshops at Glynn Vivian Art Gallery 2021

Out door creative workshop for Swansea College of Art UWTSD at Quadrants Shopping centre 2021

online creative workshop for Swansea College of Art UWTSD and CAE, 2021

online creative collaboration for Criw Celf, 2020
online creative collaboration for Y Stamp, 2020
online creative collaboration for Hanshs, 2020
online creative workshop with youth for Peackcymru, 2020

creative workshop with the community at GS Artists Swansea (9 to 90 creative community) project 2018/2019
creative workshop with asylum seekers at Glynn Vivian art gallery, 2018/2019
creative workshop with young people for Phoenix Fun Day, 2018
creative workshop with young people for Hub on the Hill, 2018
• Solo Shows
Entanglement, GS Artists Swansea 2021,

• Group Shows
Axe Head to Everything volcano theatre Swansea 2021,
18/10/2019, Axe Head to Everything GS Artists Swansea 2019,
and the breathing, Swansea college of art UWTSD Swansea 2019,
Axe Head to Everything II, volcano theatre, Swansea 2018,
Swansea Open, Glynn Vivian art gallery, Swansea 2018,
9 to 90creative Community, GS Artists Swansea 2018,
Studio 95, Promote Harder A.H.E, creative bubble, Swansea 2018,
Subtitles Please, Swansea college of art UWTSD Swansea 2018,
Axe Head to Everything, volcano theatre, Swansea 2017,
Swansea Open, Glynn Vivian art gallery, Swansea 2017,
Tabula Rasa, Swansea college of art UWTSD Swansea, 2016
• Competitions
Swansea Open, Glynn Vivian art gallery, Swansea 2021
Swansea Open, Glynn Vivian art gallery, Swansea 2018,
9 To 90creative Community, GS Artists Swansea 2017,
Swansea Open, Glynn Vivian art gallery, Swansea 2017