Mela Mitchell

The Fragility of Healing

My works explore the relationship from my perspective between trauma and comfort, fragility and family reflecting on my experiences growing up with my chronically ill younger sister, Eva. My sculptural and material specific works are reflective of childhood memories and the ongoing reality as we deal with being back in hospital. With the use of materials, plaster,  lavender, felt, hospital towels I move around  themes of vulnerability, connection and isolation. Each part is representative of my own perspective and the bond between my family moving through shared experiences. The majority of this work was created at the beside my sister in Auckland Hospital and nods to this seeps through the works visually, physically and through the deeper meaning. I have always used art as a way to escape reality, allowing myself to reflect, a form of therapy. Trauma and comfort coexisting living and spending time in the hospital is something I have carried through my works. I aim to share with the viewer parts of my experience while allowing them to relate and consider their connection to this work.