Whanganui artist Melanie Fleet has solo exhibition in her hometown of Palmerston North

Whanganui artist Melanie Fleet says her work as an artist is guided by a passion for sustainability and social expression. Photo / Judith Lacy

When Melanie Fleet was at Freyberg High School she’d skip maths to spend time in the dark room.

Her passion for photography started when she was 11.

Now living in Whanganui, Fleet has brought her exhibition Iconic to her hometown of Palmerston North.

The exhibition at Snails: Artist-run spaces has three components. Her photographs are mostly from the South Island and Taranaki. She has chosen black and white images of quintessentially Kiwi buildings to give them a timeless quality; they could be taken 100 years ago or today.

There are paintings of famous people in the queer universe where she comes from, including the Topp Twins, George Michael and Katherine Mansfield.

While queer people have more rights now, Aotearoa is not quite there yet especially when comes to transpeople, Fleet says.

One of the paintings is of Shaneel Lal, known for their advocacy for banning conversion therapy in New Zealand.

The artworks reuse platters and serving trays, items people don’t seem to use these days, Fleet says.

She likes to repurpose objects into art giving them new life.

For the base colour and stencilled faces, she used industrial spray paint and acrylic paint for the rainbow accents.

Through the intersection of upcycled materials and architectural snapshots, she wants to offer a fresh perspective on the importance of sustainability, identity and the shared history that binds us all.

“My art serves as a bridge between the past and the present, inviting viewers to engage in a dialogue that honours the past, embraces the present, and envisions a future of inclusive understanding and acceptance.”

Rounding out the Iconic exhibition are winged creatures made from recycled materials.

Melanie Fleet's portrait of Freddie Mercury. Photo / Judith Lacy

Fleet is working full-time as an artist. She has funded herself for three years and after that hopes to make a living from her passion. She is 15 months into the journey.

The self-taught artist used to live at Foxton Beach and her studio featured in Art Trail Manawatū one year.

This year, the mixed media artist has already had exhibitions at Eltham’s Village Gallery, Whanganui Community Arts Centre and A Gallery in Whanganui.

People can view Iconic on September 22 and 29, 11am-3pm, and meet Fleet.

Snails is upstairs at 103 Taonui St.