The tender yet beautifully grotesque work of AllysonMellberg is populated by figures that have uncanny relationships withthe natural elements they are coupled with. Overgrowths of extra faces andmultiple eyes suckle on the figures like the remnants of parasitic twins whileplants sprout from their skin and hover nearby ominously. Mellberg’s mostrecent body of work, ‘Unearthly Child’ that opened at Cinders gallery cullsit’s title from the science fiction show ‘Dr. Who’ that was based on aneccentric time traveler. This inspiration creates a supernatural touch to thework that is balanced by the intricate patterns that clothe and occasionally engulfs the figures. The paintings are mixed media, composed of hand cut paper and hand-mixed paint on paper, further illuminating the surreal and forlorn themesthread through the work.
