Melissa Haiden, The two of us , 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 artistic practice is driven by a fascination with dualities—balancing the push and pull between voyeurism and exhibitionism, contentment and chaos, the private and the public.

Influenced by her background in physical performance, Haiden’s work is inherently interdisciplinary, moving fluidly between video, live performance, oils, acrylics, and sketching. Regardless of medium, her pieces capture the emotional charge found in the tension between opposing forces.

The Two of Us reflects this exploration, using acrylic and charcoal to evoke a layered, intimate dialogue between connection and distance.