Melissa Haiden, The Air , Acrylic and charcoal on canvas, 2022

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 dualities—shifting between voyeurism and exhibitionism, contentment and chaos, and the private and the public.

Drawing on her background in physical performance, Haiden’s practice is interdisciplinary, spanning video, live performance, oils, acrylics, and sketching. Each medium becomes a stage for her to interrogate human behaviour, intimacy, and emotional tension.

The Air distills this investigation into a tactile interplay of acrylic and charcoal, capturing an ephemeral moment suspended between stillness and movement.