Photos by Dayson Roa
ABOUT
Isabella Mellado (b. 1996, San Juan, Puerto Rico) is a visual artist based in Chicago, IL. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Rhode Island School of Design in 2018 and her Master of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2023. Mellado’s work walks the thin line between Catholicism and occult spirituality. She is best known for her magical realist and tarot inspired paintings exploring her spirituality, latinidad and queer identity. She works across a wide range of media, including painting, photography, costume design, digital collage, and sculpture.
Mellado’s work has been featured in prominent art fairs such as Feria Material in Mexico City, The Ponce Biennial in Puerto Rico, Pulse Contemporary Art Fair in Miami, and MECA Art Fair in San Juan, PR. Additionally, her work has been exhibited at notable venues including the Bronx Museum in New York, Kavi Gupta Gallery in Chicago, Walter Otero Contemporary Art in San Juan, PR, and Swivel Gallery in New York, NY and Povos Gallery in Chicago, IL.
PRESS
FOUNTAINHEAD RESIDENCY x LA COMETA
July 2025
Isabella Mellado completes month long residency at prestigious Fountainhead Residency in Miami, Florida. During this time, she finishes working on series "Siete Pecados" for Solo Exhibition at Galería La Cometa.
Links:
La Cometa, Bio: La Cometa, Mutual Art, Fountainhead Residency, Meet the Artists: Fountainhead
FERIA MATERIAL: POVOS GALLERY
February 2025
Isabella Mellado performs live for eight hours at Feria Material during CDMX Art Week, completing a series of three large scale charcoal drawings based on her oil triptych, "Baile para el Señor de los Muertos".
Links:
Vogue Mexico, Povos Press Page, Observer Article, Architectural Digest, Mi Valedor
LIMINAL: NATIONAL MUSEUM OF PUERTO RICAN ART AND CULTURE
June 2024
Isabella Mellado creates El Tonto for Liminal, curated by Anais Caro for the National Museum of Puerto Rican Art and Culture in Chicago. El Tonto has now been acquired as part of the museum's permanent collection.
Links:
TE DIRE QUIEN ERES: POVOS
April 2024
Isabella Mellado and Povos Gallery open their first solo show together during Expo Art Week.
Links:
The New Art Examiner Review, Mutual Art, Promotional Video by Dayson Roa, Newcity official Guide to Expo (p. 43)
DESDE EL CHARCO: YOUNGARTS
November 2023
Isabella Mellado and Youngarts Gallery open their first solo show together during Miami Art Week.
FERIA MATERIAL: SWIVEL
February 2024
Isabella Mellado exhibits The Wheel of Fortune alongside two other Swivel Gallery (NYC) artists at Material Art Fair in Mexico City.
Links:
Commissioner Mexico City Art Week in Review
BOTANY OF DESIRE: SWIVEL
October 2023
Isabella Mellado exhibits The Hierophant in group show, Botany of Desire with Swivel Gallery in New York, NY.
June 2023
Isabella Mellado exhibits Two of Cups in group show, Hot Summer Pt. 2 with Swivel Gallery in New York, NY. This work was originally featured at Art in Common's group exhibition Boil, Toil and Trouble.
April 2023
Isabella Mellado's work, Nine of Swords (I am not my body), was featured and sold in auction at the Bronx Museum's 2023 Gala + Silent Auction, held in honor of Angel Otero, Olivia W. Douglas and Will Calhoun.
REALISMO MAGICO: WALTER OTERO CONTEMPORARY ART
January 2023
Walter Otero Contemporary Art hosts the Mellado's second solo show in Puerto Rico, Realismo Magico.
Links:
El Adoquin Magazine, Repeating Islands, El Nuevo Dia, El Nuevo Dia, IN Puerto Rico Magazine
WAPA: Mellado designs cape for Miss Puerto Rico at Miss Universe Pageant , image of cape
BOIL TOIL & TROUBLE: ART IN COMMON
April 2023
Isabella Mellado's Two of Cups was featured in group show Boil, Toil & Trouble. This show was hosted by Art in Common and featured artworks by prolific artists such as Ana Mendieta, Marina Abromovic & Radcliffe Bailey.
May 2023
Featured Artist for Drag me to the Daylight Disco, the Pride Edition of Gertie Chicago's bi-weekly event, (Inter)mezzo. Hosted by Nick Cave & Bob Faust at the Blind Barber.
Artist in Residence at Gertie Chicago's event, (Inter)mezzo, held at The Blind Barber. Conducted an artist talk and created an installation for the night. Tarot readings were held by collaborator and photographer Lauren Oberlin.
December 2022
Mellado showcased her painting, The Moon, in the second iteration of Kavi Gupta Gallery's group show, Skin + Masks. This exhibition was curated by Vic Mensa and Chanelle Lacy, and ran through the tenth anniversary edition of EXPO CHICAGO. Mellado carried out an artist talk in relation to the exhibition at the gallery.
