Jem Mellor is a Midlands based artist with an interdisciplinary practice spanning sculpture, photography, film, writing and place based community projects.
Interested in the world building ability of materials and their active agency within art & design methodologies, Jem’s work develops artistic and pedagogical practices which seek to give space to consider and explore a material’s way of being in the world and the co-productive relationships between humanity and matter. Using performative and traditional research models, Jem relationally develops material knowledges, evolving a more collaborative relationship with the materials of her own shared practice.
Exhibitions/ Awards
July-Aug 2024: Stuff I Found On The Floor. Nomas Gallery, Dundee, Scotland. Curated by Cully McCulloch & Owen Daily.
Aug 2023: Wall Of Remembrance. Compassionate Communities UK & NNNS
Aug 2022: BIO ARTS Bursary Babs recipient
July 2022 WOVEN Exhibition. Bessant Gallery, Wolverhampton
June 2022 ON SITE. AA2A & Wolverhampton SofA (Joint)
Oct 2021 ‘What Is The Matter?’. South Street, Birmingham (Solo)
Sep 2021 Endowment Fund for the Arts BICA (Award)
2021 Post Distance. On-line Exhibition. Opens 22/9/21 (Joint)
2021 May-September ‘If It’s Not A Rug’. The Year That Wasn’t: On-line Catalyst Exhibition (Joint)
Pre 2020
The One and the Many; Holy Biscuit, Newcastle and Centrala, Birmingham
Live Your Dreams; Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham
The Conversion of Saul; Sputnik Open Submission Joint Exhibition; Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire
City Scapes; Custard Factory, Birmingham and New Generation Arts Festival, Rotunda, Birmingham
Emily Dickinson series; AOP, London
Residencies/ Projects/ Speaking Engagements/ Teaching
2025: Art@YourDoor, Arts co-ordinator in collaboration with Redeemer Community (January-ongoing)
2025: Open Studio, The Art Of Loss, Oddingley Hall, Compassionate Communities & Birmingham City Council (February-April)
2024: Stories From The Shed, Garden Arts Project, Northfield Arts Forum and Get Creative. (September-December)
2024: SAY SOMETHING. Community Voice Project, West Heath Birmingham (February-March)
2023: Weaving Through Loss and Life; Compassionate Communities UK (Sep-Nov)
2023: INTERLACED Community Projects (February-March)
2023: Allens Cross Community Gardens Artist in Residence
2022: SPECTRA Abundance Garden Birmingham City Hospital (August)
2022: Ikon Slow Boat Resident (May)
2021- 2022: AA2A Residency Programme Wolverhampton School of Art
2021- Present: VT Lecturer; Nexus ICA, Coventry.
2021: Material Encounters Research Cluster, UNCERTAIN KNOWLEDGE(S): SUMMER COLLOQUIUM, research presentation.
2020-21 Tate Liverpool & BICA On-line lecture series committee member, training and planning mentor scheme
2017-2019 Arts Internship Mentor; Sputnik Arts Charity (https://sptnk.co.uk)
2012-2021 Subject specialist VT; Archbishop Ilsley 6th Form College
2006-2010 Resident Artist; Holy Trinity Media Arts College
SELECTED WRITING
2022: Mediators and The Vitality of Matter in Drawing Practices
Drawing Research Theory Practice, October 2022, Intellect DOI: 10.1386/drtp_00090_1
2021: What Is The Matter? A practical guide to developing co-productive material practice within arts disciplines.
Education/ TRAINING
Coaching Skills, Ignition Pathways, 2025
Mental Health First Aid Training, MHFA England, 2025
Talking Therapies Training, 2024
MA Art & Design Interdisciplinary Practice, BICA Birmingham School of Art Distinction 2019-2021
BA Visual Communication Photography, University of Central England First Class Hons 2004
memberships
Material Encounters Research Cluster
Sputnik Faith & Arts Network
AA2A