April 10 - May 25, 2024

Povos Gallery

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Te Diré Quien Eres is a solo show of paintings, photographs, and small works by Isabella Mellado. The works in this show are to the artist as sigils are to the witch, and are a visual exploration of self-actualization through relationships—coven, platonic, romantic, familial & self. The title of this show is an excerpt from Don Quijote de la Mancha by Miguel Cervantes, directly translating to “Tell me who you surround yourself with and I’ll tell you who you are.”

Mellado underlines queer trauma and Catholic shame by making reference to religious symbolism in Renaissance art. By relating gargoyles, demons, and angels as seen in catholic art to the queer-coded figure in their paintings, Mellado reclaims and humanizes the queer “sin” and subsequently, the queer monster. Centralizing queer narrative as the artist has lived it, Mellado frames it with symbolism taken from mythology, folklore, tarot, astrology, and Puerto Rican pop culture.