Melanie Brewster
Class of 2024
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Melanie Brewster lives in New York City and is a licensed psychologist and professor. Her interdisciplinary art and scholarship focuses on how marginalized communities cope with stress and stigma; she has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles and a book, Atheists in America, on these topics. Brewster's visual art examines the bizarre paradoxes inherent in ‘wellness’ practices and hyper-capitalist spirituality. Working primarily in sculpture and fiber, she constructs ritual objects and wearables from mystical goods (i.e., crystals, evil eyes) and documents their activation. At times sardonic, the work addresses what it means to cope with oppression and stay grounded by any means necessary.
Image: Christianne Ebel