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melendez considers museums their "second home", and feels the happiest when looking at or writing about "pretty pictures". they will receive a bachelor's degree in art history from the macaulay honors college at hunter college, where they are a horace w. goldsmith scholar & grant recipient (associated with their work at the mishkin gallery). she takes personal interests in artists who broke the mold in their own right, radically altering the field with bold, controversial art. they enjoy feeling a personal connection to their subjects, finding pieces of themselves in their life and work along the way; this allows them to truly use their voice in their work. she places a special focus on those who are LGBTQIA+ or deal with mental illness, and is not afraid to call out injustices and misdeeds of famed figures in the art world. so far, sofia has done work in several major new york art institutions. they were a part of the metropolitan museum of art's college cohort, the "met collective", working to make the museum's collection more accessible and less intimidating through content creation and event planning. she has also interned at the new-york historical society and the jewish museum, as well as being selected to participate in the 2024 cohort of MoMA's "what is art conservation?" workshop (partnered with CUNY). |
personal work
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sofia concentrates on the post-impressionist movement of the mid-late 19th century, more specifically the life and work of vincent van gogh (1853-1890). their dual-part bachelor's thesis, "crossing the corridor: vincent van gogh, the 'tortured artist', and how to heal when the world is against you", concerns the artist and the academic & cultural perception of his character & work in juxtaposition to his mental illness. it focuses on vincent's art while interned at an asylum in saint-rémy-de-provence for a year, coloring it as a life-affirming and joy-bringing practice that helped him to heal. she also takes interest in the criticisms & circle of andy warhol (marisol, jean-michel basquiat, keith haring, etc.). while working as a research assistant at the mishkin gallery, melendez developed an educational resource titled "a portrait of andy warhol", focusing on the gallery's collection of warhol's art while commenting on cultural relevancy and critiques surrounding the topics of the pieces. their article, "read like van gogh: the literature vincent loved" was published in the historians magazine in fall 2023. "on andy warhol's ladies and gentlemen (& where to draw the line with an idolized artist)" , initially published on their substack, was published on the mishkin gallery's blog in spring 2023. |
goghgetter
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accessibility is something that is at the forefront of sof's art historical practice. in an effort to bridge the gap between casual enjoyers and bonafide aficionados, goghgetter (@g0ghgetter on instagram) was born. whether it be silly niche memes, exhibition reviews, or a scathing exposé on paul gauguin, their intention is to create community through art education. melendez aims to expand goghgetter's horizons with video content through instagram and goghgetter's new youtube channel. they recently created a "write with me" style video, where they discuss their thesis and do a pomodoro section, which one can work along with. also in the works are museum highlight videos and more in-depth analyses of artworks and art historical occurances over time. if you are an art-associated creator, museum/gallery, or group who'd like to get into contact with goghgetter about working with you, email [email protected]! |
selected writing |
“‘Man of Sorrows’: Neil Perry as a Christlike Martyr in Dead Poets Society”
A personal/art historical essay focusing on the parallels between the protagonist of Peter Weir’s 1989 film Dead Poets Society & the Catholic son of God. The film draws a lot on the religious beliefs of the characters to expose the plots of their characters, and I wanted to explore where it all comes from, and what it means to me.
"When Bernard Met van Gogh: A Post-Impressionistic Partnership"
Final research paper for Twentieth Century Art I. My research focuses on the artistic friendship between Post-Impressionists Émile Bernard & Vincent van Gogh between 1886-1890, and how their correspondence via letter writing and common stylistic inspirations in Japanese art influenced each other’s oeuvre.
"Garbo" and the "Pope": Marisol, Warhol, and the Pop Artist's Dilemma
Final research paper for ARTH300: Research Methods of Art History. My research focused on re-evaluating the legacy of Marisol Escobar, a Venezuelan-American 20th century artist who's work in sculpture focuses on societal stereotypes. I juxtapose her career path with that of her friend and contemporary, Andy Warhol, and delve into why Marisol's place in art history was erased in favor of Warhol's due to her complex identity as a Latina woman in the 1960's.
Repatriation of Colonial Art, International Objects, and Spoils of War in NYC Museums
Final research paper for MHC 250: Shaping the Future of the City, the final of 4 seminars taken at the Macaulay Honors College. My research focused on art repatriation in New York City cultural institutions, specifically at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History. I delved into specific case studies of unfair & unethical art acquisitions in these spaces, how it occurs, and why it is a necessity to fix it as soon as possible.
A personal/art historical essay focusing on the parallels between the protagonist of Peter Weir’s 1989 film Dead Poets Society & the Catholic son of God. The film draws a lot on the religious beliefs of the characters to expose the plots of their characters, and I wanted to explore where it all comes from, and what it means to me.
"When Bernard Met van Gogh: A Post-Impressionistic Partnership"
Final research paper for Twentieth Century Art I. My research focuses on the artistic friendship between Post-Impressionists Émile Bernard & Vincent van Gogh between 1886-1890, and how their correspondence via letter writing and common stylistic inspirations in Japanese art influenced each other’s oeuvre.
"Garbo" and the "Pope": Marisol, Warhol, and the Pop Artist's Dilemma
Final research paper for ARTH300: Research Methods of Art History. My research focused on re-evaluating the legacy of Marisol Escobar, a Venezuelan-American 20th century artist who's work in sculpture focuses on societal stereotypes. I juxtapose her career path with that of her friend and contemporary, Andy Warhol, and delve into why Marisol's place in art history was erased in favor of Warhol's due to her complex identity as a Latina woman in the 1960's.
Repatriation of Colonial Art, International Objects, and Spoils of War in NYC Museums
Final research paper for MHC 250: Shaping the Future of the City, the final of 4 seminars taken at the Macaulay Honors College. My research focused on art repatriation in New York City cultural institutions, specifically at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History. I delved into specific case studies of unfair & unethical art acquisitions in these spaces, how it occurs, and why it is a necessity to fix it as soon as possible.
