Jan Melka: Painting as the Continuous Search for Imperfection

Franco-American painter Jan Melka (b. 1995), based in Paris, explores the fragmented body through layered paint, seeking beauty in imperfection. Her recent residencies at Instituto ALTO in São Paulo and with GSL Gallery in a historic palace near Milan have shaped her practice. In São Paulo, she produced ten large works in isolation, driven by an intimate narrative. In Bergamo, the monumental architecture and contrast between religious iconography and industrial activity inspired a series where bodies and machines intertwine. Melka also creates sculptural lamps, cardboard houses, and has designed the visual universe for Christian Louboutin's 'The Loubi Show' at Le Trianon in Paris. She has exhibited at Michael Bargo Gallery (New York), The Lobby (Tokyo), Galerie Romero Paprocki, Espace 35–37, Galerie Sans Titre (Paris), Villa Cléa (Milan), Caleta (Mexico City), Galleria Continua – Les Moulins (Boissy), and GSL Gallery (Pantin). Performances include 'Something Was Here' at Poush, 'Carte Blanche' at Palais de Tokyo, and 'Robes-Tableaux' with JCDC on the Piazza of Centre Pompidou. Melka states she is a painter beyond the physical act of painting.