Melissa Zexter

{{Short description|American artist}}{{Infobox artist

| birth_place = Providence, Rhode Island

| alma_mater = Rhode Island School of Design, BFA Photography
New York University, MFA

| known_for = Embroidered photography

| nationality = United States

| website = www.melissazexter.com

}}

Melissa Zexter is a Brooklyn-based artist who creates embroidered photography.

Early life and education

Zexter grew up in Bristol, Rhode Island{{cite web |date=April 18, 2014 |title=Melissa Zexter |url=http://www.therawbook.com/2014/04/18/melissa/ |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303045927/http://www.therawbook.com/2014/04/18/melissa/ |archive-date=3 March 2016 |website=The Raw Book |publisher=}} in the Joseph Reynolds House and was given her first camera at the age of eight.{{cite news|last1=Conti|first1=Gaia|title=Intimate Stitching|url=https://melissazexter.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/ai-magazine_summer-2015_art-zexter.pdf|work=AI Magazine|issue=70|date=Summer 2015|pages=71–73}} Her father Robert Zexter was a prominent art and antiquity dealer..{{Cite web |date=2012-03-06 |title=Robert Hanan Zexter, Antiques Dealer - Antiques And The Arts WeeklyAntiques And The Arts Weekly |url=https://www.antiquesandthearts.com/robert-hanan-zexter-antiques-dealer/ |access-date=2025-04-04 |language=en-US}} Melissa Zexter earned a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design in photography. She earned her MFA in photography from New York University/International Center of Photography.{{cite web |title=Feminist Art Base - Melissa Zexter |url=https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/eascfa/about/feminist_art_base/melissa-zexter |access-date=23 February 2016 |website=Brooklyn Museum |publisher=}} She teaches photography at the Dalton School in New York. She has previously taught at Alfred University, Cooper Union, Long Island University and The New School.{{cite news |date=January 24, 2014 |title=Melissa Zexter's Embroidered Photography |work=Juxtapoz |url=https://www.juxtapoz.com/news/melissa-zexter-embroidered-photography/ |access-date=19 July 2022}}

Art

Zexter began embroidering her photography following an artist's residency program in the Catskills.{{cite news|title=Melissa Zexter: Interview by Molly Golski|url=https://issuu.com/atwoodmagazine/docs/final_nostalgia|work=Atwood Magazine|issue=7|date=March 26, 2014|pages=26–31}}{{cite news|title=Melissa Zexter interview: Embroidered photography|url=http://www.textileartist.org/melissa-zexter-interview-embroidered-photography/|accessdate=23 February 2016|work=TextileArtist.org}} Her works typically begin with her own digital or analogical photography,{{cite news |last1=Criado |first1=Lula |date=January 22, 2014 |title=Melissa Zexter, identity, photography and embroidery |work=CLOT Magazine |url=https://www.clotmag.com/interviews/melissa-zexter |access-date=19 July 2022}} to which she adds a layer of hand-stitched embroidery.{{cite news |last=Jablotschkin |first=Esther |date=December 19, 2013 |title=Embroidered Portraits by Melissa Zexter |work=iGNANT |url=http://www.ignant.de/2013/12/19/embroidered-portraits-by-melissa-zexter/}} The overlaid embroidery pattern in her works fits the context of the scene's theme.{{cite news |last=Wohl |first=Jessica |date=June 3, 2014 |title=The Embroidered Image at Robert Mann Gallery |work=Musee Magazine |url=https://museemagazine.com/culture/culture/art-out/the-embroidered-image-at-robert-mann-gallery?rq=zexter |url-status=live |access-date=19 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220720015408/https://museemagazine.com/culture/culture/art-out/the-embroidered-image-at-robert-mann-gallery?rq=zexter |archive-date=20 July 2022}} She uses various embroidery styles, "ranging from seemingly random stitches of different colors, to pattern-like stitches of single or complementing hues."{{cite news|last1=Asto|first1=Joy Celine|title=Intricate Embroidered Photographs by Melissa Zexter|url=http://www.lomography.com/magazine/269588-intricate-embroidered-photographs-by-melissa-zexter|work=Lomography|date=February 20, 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303182520/http://www.lomography.com/magazine/269588-intricate-embroidered-photographs-by-melissa-zexter|archivedate=March 3, 2016}} Zexter prefers to photograph women and her themes include representations of femininity and the exploration of female identity.{{cite news|title=Divine Spiritual Embellishments|url=http://beautifulnow.is/bnow/divine-spiritual-embellishments|work=Beautiful Now|date=April 20, 2014}}

Zexter's works have been reviewed and published in The New York Times, The Boston Herald, Time Out Chicago, and The New Yorker.{{cite news |last1=Gutiérrez |first1=Roma |date=March 24, 2014 |title=Las fotos bordadas de Melissa Zexter |language=Spanish |work=Makamo |url=http://www.makamo.es/las-fotos-bordadas-de-melissa-zexter/ |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511053345/http://www.makamo.es/las-fotos-bordadas-de-melissa-zexter/ |archive-date=11 May 2021}}{{Cite web |date=2017-03-01 |title=Melissa Zexter, Embroidery Artist + Photographer |url=https://www.theniceniche.com/this-week/melissa-zexter-embroidery-artist-photographer |access-date=2025-04-04 |website=The Nice Niche |language=en-US}} She exhibited at the Bronx Museum of the Arts in 1994. She has also participated in exhibitions at the Muriel Guepin Gallery, Kenise Barnes Fine Art, Hallspace Gallery, Creiger Dane Gallery, Robert Mann Gallery,{{cite news|last1=Behringer|first1=David|title=Stitching Photographs: Various Approaches|url=http://design-milk.com/stitching-photographs-various-approaches/|work=Design Milk|date=July 23, 2014}} Triennale Design Museum,{{Cite web |last=Zexter |first=Melissa |date=18 September 2014 |title=Abiti da Lavoro exhibition at the Triennale Design Museum (Triennale di Milano) in Milano, Italia |url=https://melissazexter.wordpress.com/2014/09/18/abiti-da-lavoro-exhibition-at-the-triennale-museum-in-milano-italia/ |access-date=19 July 2022 |website=Melissa Zexter |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=29 June 2014 |title=Mola, Mostre: Accademia Carrara (riapre) - Pubblicità (Rivoli) – Abiti da lavoro (Triennale) |url=http://www.gazzettadisondrio.it/cultura-spettacoli/29062014/mola-mostre-accademia-carrara-riapre-pubblicita-rivoli-abiti-lavoro |access-date=19 July 2022 |website=La Gazzetta di Sondrio |language=it}} and the Marcia Wood Gallery in Atlanta.{{cite news |last1=Cullum |first1=Jerry |date=November 10, 2015 |title=Review: "Bold (Feminine)" photographers respect, subvert tradition, at Marcia Wood Gallery |work=Arts ATL |url=https://www.artsatl.org/review-bold-feminine-marcia-wood-gallery/ |access-date=19 July 2022}}

Exhibitions

1994 "Artist in the marketplace", Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx.{{cite web | url=http://www.bronxmuseum.org/aim/artist-in-the-marketplace | title=Artist in the marketplace | accessdate=24 February 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319005105/http://www.bronxmuseum.org/aim/artist-in-the-marketplace | archive-date=19 March 2018 | url-status=dead }}
2011 "Thread, Pixels, Paper; Works by Melissa Zexter, Melinda McDaniel and Katharine Kreisher", Carrie Haddad Photographs, Hudson, NY.{{cite web |date=2011 |title=Thread, Pixels, Paper: works by Melinda McDaniel, Melissa Zexter and Katharine Kreisher |url=http://carriehaddadgallery.com/index.cfm?method=Photography.ExhibitDescription&ExhibitID=408F36F6-A698-D783-EB5C5C5746CAC614 |access-date=24 February 2016 |website=Carrie Haddad Gallery}}
2011 "Melissa Zexter, Lucilla Bonfante, Keun Young Park", Muriel Guepin Gallery, Brooklyn, NY.{{cite web |last=Chalmers |first=Jamie |date=22 November 2011 |title=Showtime! Melissa Zexter, Muriel Guepin Gallery, New York |url=http://www.mrxstitch.com/showtime-melissa-zexter-muriel-guepin-gallery-new-york/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306124226/http://www.mrxstitch.com/showtime-melissa-zexter-muriel-guepin-gallery-new-york/ |archive-date=6 March 2016 |access-date=24 February 2016 |website=Mr X Stitch}}
2014 "The Embroidered Image", Robert Mann Gallery, New York, NY{{Cite web |date=2014 |title=The Embroidered Image |url=http://www.robertmann.com/2014-embroidered-press |access-date=2022-07-20 |website=Robert Mann Gallery |language=en-US}}
2014 "Workwear" (Abiti da Lavoro), Triennale, Milan, Italy
2015 Bold (Feminine), Marcia Wood Gallery, Atlanta, GA{{Cite web |date=2015 |title=Bold (Feminine) |url=http://www.spenational.org/ |access-date=19 July 2022 |website=Society for Photographic Education |language=en}}
2017 Past and Present, Muriel Guepin Gallery, New York, NY{{Cite web |date=2017 |title=Exhibitions - Past and Present - Featuring new works from Iviva Olenick and Melissa Zexter |url=http://www.murielguepingallery.com/exhibitions/past-and-present |access-date=19 July 2022 |website=Muriel Guepin Gallery |language=en}}
2018 "In Her Hands", Robert Mann Gallery, New York, NY{{Cite web |date=2018 |title=In Hers Hands |url=https://www.artsy.net/show/robert-mann-gallery-in-hers-hands |access-date=19 July 2022 |website=Artsy}}{{Cite web |last= |last2= |date=1 October 2018 |title=Melissa Zexter: From conception to creation |url=https://www.textileartist.org/melissa-zexter-from-conception-to-creation/ |access-date=19 July 2022 |website=TextileArtist.org |language=en-US}}
2019 "Home Sweet Home", Ann Street Gallery, Newburgh, NY{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=1 March 2019 |title=10 Art Exhibits to Scope out in March |url=https://www.chronogram.com/hudsonvalley/10-art-exhibits-to-scope-out-in-march/Content?oid=7634161 |access-date=19 July 2022 |website=Chronogram Magazine |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2019 |title=Home Sweet Home Exhibit - Ann Street Gallery |url=https://safe-harbors.org/events/homesweethome/ |access-date=19 July 2022 |website=Safe Harbors of the Hudson |language=en-US}}
2020 "Nimble", Edward J and Helen Jane Morrison Gallery, University of Minnesota, MN
2021 "Tools of the Trade" Blue Spiral Gallery, Ashville, NC
2022 "Tactile", Delaware Arts Alliance, Narrowsburg, NY
2023 "PHOTOFAIRS", Robert Mann Gallery, Javits Center , NY, NY
2023 "Phantom Web", Delaware Valley Arts Alliance, Narrowsburg, NY
2024 "Memento", Secret Studio, Columbus, Ohio