_edited.png)
BIO
Melissa Lyn is a Jamaican Illustrator and Fine Artist. She creates portraits using ink, graphite and colored pencils. As an avid reader who loves history, Melissa's works are inspired by research in the bible and African history.
Her bold, stylized illustrations reimagine ancestors and their descendants, transcending in time. By using a combination of selective colors, symbols and images, Melissa redefines her portraits to tell these stories about her ancestors, sharing similarities in their characteristics and experiences.
​
In 2022, Melissa received 3 Gold Medals and Best Artist in the category of Drawing and Collage in the J.C.D.C’s Visual Arts Competition. Her works have been featured across major art galleries and media publications such as: The Sky Gallery Jamaica, The Gleaner Outlook Jamaica, Royal Blue Gallery London, Subo Art Magazine Spain and Artly Mix Cultural Space Brazil.
Melissa's 2023 studio project "Reimagining Nanny: Avatar Erzulie" is currently featured in The National Gallery of Jamaica "The Face of Us" catalog.
​
​
MY ART
​
People exist as biological numeric algorithms. Historical names are spiritual creation concepts. Each adapts to its time.
Etymologically, all these identities, “African, Negro, Caribbean” etc. prove historically that we are the same people, who broke up into various tribes. The traditions and customs based on historical influences may be different, but without a doubt or contradiction, we are who our ancestors were.
​
Pieces such as Reimagining Nanny, Reimagining Christ, Channeling Maasai and Reimagining Cudjoe, illustrate a correspondence between the Most High and His people throughout different cultures.
​
The “proverb and byword” narratives in colonial discourse by people of African descent towards their own race, has resulted in Negroes all over the globe to assimilate into segregation; thus severing ties between powerful nations of people who were once a unified, indomitable force. This traumatic conditioning of the mind has also created taboos, mass hysteria and even structural violence, especially towards Haitians and other indigenous groups of Negroes. This has resulted in a malicious misrepresentation of their identities, whereby such peoples have become the victims of perpetual genocides, rape, poverty, cultural appropriations, natural resource wars, replacement, and displacement theology.
​
In an assiduous effort, I created this series of reimagining ancestors to dismiss any stereotypes and myths about cultures. It opens up the room for conversation to share untold truths about people who have contributed significantly to society.
​
I try with every finished piece to hint to my audience the hidden knowledge of forgotten and undiscovered ancestral groups, by way of symbolism. I created this series of reimagining avatars to dismiss any stereotypes and myths about cultures. I share untold truths about groups that have had major influence in almost every aspect of what is considered trending in contemporary society. I retell history through pop culture visual expressions appealing to younger audiences; whilst retaining the objective, educate and awaken.
​
"When I met my dad a few years ago, I became aware of my African roots which stemmed from Ghana. Our conversations drove me to do more research on my Ghanaian background. The deeper I got into this rich history, I started to feel more whole."
​
“By studying the Bible and other literature, I have found that the indigenous peoples have been the perpetual victim of European genocides, rape, poverty, cultural appropriations, natural resource wars, replacement, and displacement theology. (Deuteronomy 28: 15 - 68)
This has unfortunately displaced millions of innocent people in the name of religious imperialism and expansionism.”
​
"Many African Tribes’ cultures are identical to that of the Biblical Bantu Hebrews,
for e.g.: Congo, Zulu, Ewe, Ashanti, Yoruba, Shona, etc. “African languages can be traced back to Ancient Bantu Hebrew, for e.g.: Swahili, Ndebele, Kikongo, Tswana etc."
​
IN STUDIO
"This continuous research answered a lot of the questions I had. Society, in all its glory and amusement, has been built from the blood, sweat and tears of black people. Read the Bible, it's a valid reference to our history!”
​
“By being afflicted, we are then corrected and hopefully will return to who we are - a royal priesthood. (1 Peter 2: 9)
We have absolutely no knowledge of our true identity as Israelites.”
​
"I'm trying to let people know and become more aware of that, by means of conversation & in some sense through my artwork."
EARLY LIFE
The quiet, humble artist began her journey in 1998 with music at Pembroke Hall Primary School, where she was a longstanding member of the school's choir. There she participated in the J.C.D.C Gospel & Folk Competitions, whereby the school managed to maintain a standard of excellence as the top primary/prep school choir in the island for years.
​
Melissa discovered her ability to draw and construct creative models while in the 2nd grade. To generate much needed income, she used her skills in both music and art to aid other children with their homework in the community of Patrick Gardens and its surroundings, where she grew up & lived.
​
Her artistic development took flight at St Hugh's High School, where she entered and succeeded in several poster competitions throughout her time at the institution.
​
She received tremendous support and encouragement from her school family and upon recommendations from her teachers, she was accepted in 2012 to further studies at The Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts School, where she took an interest to major in Illustration and minor in Ceramics.
However, due to adverse circumstances, she ended her studies at the college and began to explore viable opportunities in art.
NEW JOURNEY
In 2016, Melissa embarked on a spiritual journey, proclaiming the Hebrew faith. This allowed her to grasp a greater understanding of society and the rest of the world. In a 2018 interview with The Gleaner Jamaica, she gave a brief explanation on what inspired her new approach to creating works of art:
​
"I no longer align myself with any religion, and I find that since I have been doing that, my mind is more open to understanding the world more, not limiting myself and learning more about my creativity."
​
"As a child growing up, I was more familiar with my Asian Jamaican heritage, because I grew up with my mother's side of the family. I never had any knowledge of my father. It made me feel out of place, and I felt like something was missing from me."
​
Melissa shared that while growing up, she associated people of African descent with slavery, mass violence and other negative connotations, depicted by society. She questioned this as a teenager while attending school and while accompanying her Christian family and friends visiting different denominations.
​
Often these occasions of asking questions left Melissa with hardly any reasonable answers or resulted in vain arguments and controversies.