Melissa Haiden, End of Day , Acrylic and charcoal on canvas, 2025

Melissa Haiden graduated from the University of Cape Town in 2009 with an Honours Degree in Theatre and Performance. Her work is anchored in the exploration of striking dualities—moving between voyeurism and exhibitionism, contentment and chaos, and the interplay of the private and public.

Rooted in her background in physical performance, Haiden’s practice is interdisciplinary, spanning video, live performance, oils, acrylics, and sketching. Each medium becomes a means to investigate the emotional tension and embodied narratives that exist between opposing forces.

End of Day captures this essence, with layered acrylic and charcoal surfaces that hold the quiet weight of transition — where stillness meets the fading hum of activity.