ABOUT

     Growing up in Puerto Rico, Natalia Meléndez Rosa was surrounded by iron-rich clay her whole life. The terracotta-colored landscape became an intrinsic part of her identity. Her passion for clay and soil represents her connection to her ancestors. Natalia is an interdisciplinary artist primarily focused on clay, storytelling, performance and community. By juxtaposing modern themes of colonization with community resilience, her art serves as a poignant reminder of the erasure of sacred and communal spaces. Natalia’s work aims to rebuild rituals in diverse landscapes, such as cities and remote spaces, as a form or resistance towards exploitative practices. Natalia holds a BA in Art History from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras campus, and is currently pursuing her MFA in Visual Arts at The University of Kansas.