(Electronic, Synthpop) Tom Melsen - Dada - 2015, MP3, 320 kbps

INTRODUCTION
Tom Melsen is an up and coming artist who lives and works in Rotterdam (The Netherlands). He is active in a number of artistic fields but best known for his abstract works made with acrylic paint. Melsen started painting in his teens after seeing an exhibtion by Picasso. “I remember going to this museum with my father and standing in front of these blue, sombre paintings. All of these paintings portraying people as destitute human beings. I found that hugely interesting”. It were the paintings from Picasso’s “Blue Period” that Melsen found the most inspiring. After seeing the Picasso exhibition Melsen soon discovered more artists; In his early twenties he got introduced to the works of Francis Bacon, which became a huge inspiration.
Melsen’s collection of paintings consists of abstract studies, on canvas. The chaotic order of the brushstrokes seem to translate the inner personality and the struggles of the subject. The arrangement of the portraits are reminiscent of classical paintings, buried under modern abstraction that suggests the inner turmoil of the subjects.* Melsen has a very distinctive style and uses strong colour contrasts. His art is often thought provoking, dramatic and powerful.
2014
Melsen’s first solo exhibition opened in February 2014 at the P60, Amstelveen (suburb of Amsterdam). Soon after, a second exhibition in German capital city Berlin followed.
In July 2014 Haus der Berliner Festspiele (Berlin) showcased Melsen’s musical composition and accompanying videowork. Melsen also was a special guest on the international conference “The Future Is Not What It Used To Be” in Amsterdam. He showed his paintings to European cultural workers and artists from over 20 countries. In August a collection of Melsen’s paintings have been exhibited at the Firehouse Gallery in Dublin. Two weeks after the exhibition ended Melsen showed his paintings during a group exhibition in Rotterdam. It was the first time he exhibited his work in his hometown city. A group exhibition showed four of his paintings. Along with this event Melsen self-published his first catalogue; A hardback book featuring fifteen of his paintings made in 2014. Around the same time Melsen collaborated with American writer Edward Wells II to create visuals for a collection of fiction stories.
In December 2014 Melsen has been nominated for the highly valued Palm Art Award by the Art Domain Group, Leipzig (Germany).
Melsen has also been filmed (December 2014) for a documentary by Brazillian filmmaker Leticia Simoes. The documentary, in which Melsen, talks about the creative process when making art, is set to be premiered at filmfestivals September 2015.
2015
The beginning of 2015 marks Melsen’s second exhibition in Berlin. Gallery Nomad exhibited painted works, specially made for this event. Melsen also started collaborating with a new techno label called Lateral Fragments. He is creating images for their EP releases.
In April 2015 a solo exhibition (for three months) with new works opened in De Kristal, Rotterdam.
Melsen also started collaborating with BusinessPunks. Business Punks is a leader and pioneer in creating suits and jackets with unique art linings. For this, Melsen created (exclusively!) a special collage-design titled “Crime Don’t Pay”. The jacket with the modern art represented in the linings, should hit the stores later in 2015.
In October 2015 Melsen released his first musical debut record "Dada". The album is mostly about the dada art movement and features ten new recordings.
Besides painting Melsen also spends his time working on poetical works, collages and a variety of musical projects. Over the years he composed several soundtracks for independent film projects. Melsen works with field recording, non-musical instruments, but also plays the piano. Being very much inspired by the DADA movement, Melsen’s aim is to provoke an emotional reaction from the audience with all of his artistic output. He is not interested in following any known rules and describes his art as “an organized mess”.
* ArtConnect Berlin
Thanks to SOL Magazine and ArtConnect Berlin

Melsen, who has never been interested in following known rules, now comes with a experimental but radio friendly album called DADA. Melsen has always been inspired by the DADA art movement and has been experimenting with various art forms over the past five years; whether it’s painting, collage work, music or poetry.
With this record Melsen experiments with electronic sounds and collaborates with musicians from Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom.