Melissa Godoy Nieto: Waters Change, Colors Fade
Curated by Melinda Wang
August 19 - October 17, 2021
Opening reception: Thursday, August 19, 6-8pm
Hours: Saturdays, 2-6pm; Sundays 2-6pm
Free and open to the public. Masks required. Reservations are appreciated: LINK
Special Event: Peter Zummo & the Environmental Combo perform watery colorful music in collaboration with artist Melissa Godoy Nieto's live visual creations, Sunday, September 19, 6:30-9:30pm
Location: S.S. Lilac, Hudson River Park’s Pier 25 (West Street, cross at N. Moore Street), New York, New York
Contact: info@mwprojects.art
New York, NY, July 27, 2021 -- MW Projects is pleased to present “Waters Change, Colors Fade,” a solo exhibition by Mexican-born multi-media artist Melissa Godoy Nieto. Drawing on her personal experience observing both the vibrancy of healthy coral reefs and coral degradation caused by climate change, Godoy Nieto shares an underwater wilderness through drawings, textile collages and installation. The exhibition will be on view from August 19 through October 17, 2021, with a public opening reception on August 19, 6-8pm, aboard the historic museum ship Lilac.
The Great Mayan Reef that extends through Mexico, Belize and Guatemala is the second largest coral barrier reef in the world. Corals have a symbiotic relationship with microscopic algae that live within the corals’ tissue, causing explosions of color. Stressed by changes in ocean temperature, pollution and over-fishing, corals expel the algae – losing their primary food source and turning white. The longer these stressors last, the more difficult it is for corals to recover; they remain weak, grow more slowly and catch diseases. Mass coral bleaching and rapid degradation creates fragility and imbalance in the ecosystem. Since 2018, the Great Mayan Reef has been facing the “Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease” outbreak, a new disease with an unprecedented mortality rate affecting 25 species of corals. The landscape is no longer comprised of colors and shapes, but abundant fleshy algae. Without their essential nutrients, coral death is inevitable, directly impacting various ocean species, local economies and future livelihoods.
The artworks in the exhibition are the expression of Godoy Nieto’s exploration of the Great Mayan Reef and, in turn, coastal communities and her connection to her country of origin. With coral as both immediate subject and metaphor, the works evoke questions around resilience, adaptation, systemic change, mutualism and visibility. They serve as documentation of a world that is vanishing and the process by which the artist understands loss. Godoy Nieto also hopes that the works create more awareness of the climate crisis and inspire individuals from all walks of life to take action now.
The artworks will be featured within the ship’s unique spaces, including several site-specific installations and a sound piece by Amedeo Pace. In addition to the exhibition, the Lilac will host a panel discussion, community activities and educational events. The schedule of events will be available on the Lilac’s website at www.lilacpreservationproject.org. The exhibition and events are free and open to the public.
About the Artist
Melissa Godoy Nieto is a multi-disciplinary artist working in drawing, painting, textile, installation, performance and experimental animation. The variance in her narrative is representative of her wandering life. Her process of assimilating into a new environment has taken her to explore themes of the subconscious, adaptation and the natural world. She is currently based in New York City, splitting her time among NYC, Mexico and artist residencies in different parts of the world. Godoy Nieto has exhibited and performed in venues such as Spring/Break Art Show NYC and Los Angeles, BAM Art Auction, Salon ACME Mexico City, BRIC House NYC, Knockdown Center NYC, Pictoplasma Berlin Germany, The NARS Foundation NYC, MARCO Museum of Contemporary Art Monterrey Mexico, Espronceda Center for Art and Culture Barcelona, and Musée Régional d’art Contemporain Sérignan, France. For more information, please visit www.melissagodoynieto.com.
About MW Projects
MW Projects is a cultural production and art advisory firm dedicated to bringing contemporary art to historic sites, non-traditional venues and liminal spaces. We work with emerging and established artists to transform environments and encourage dialogue about contemporary art and culture. For more information, please visit www.MWprojects.art.
About the Lilac Preservation Project
The Lilac Preservation Project is a non-profit organization whose mission is to restore the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Lilac as a unique vehicle for maritime education and community activities. The Lilac is a 1933 lighthouse tender that once carried supplies to lighthouses and maintained buoys for the U.S. Lighthouse Service and the U.S. Coast Guard. Decommissioned in 1972, the Lilac is now a historic museum ship berthed at Hudson River Park’s Pier 25 in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York City. The Lilac regularly hosts free exhibitions, tours and educational programs. For more information, visit www.lilacpreservationproject.org.
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