Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension IIH symptoms by Mellissa Monsoon

Cyanotype print

Artist statement: Mellissa Monsoon is a British artist whose work explores the relationships between nature and the self. Past works have involved using casts of her own body and the bacteria that live on it to visualise the invisible world on our skin. She graduated in 2016 from the MA Art and Science course at Central Saint Martins and has since undertaken major commissions for the Eden Project and the BBC. In 2016 Mellissa was commissioned by the BBC to create a large scale microbial sculpture which formed a central theme of the documentary “Michael Mosely verses the Superbugs”, first shown on BBC4 in May 2017 and has now been shown internationally.

Mellissa has extensive experience working collaboratively with scientists and leads a range of participatory workshops exploring art and science. Recent research and projects are working with a rare brain condition Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) which Monsoon was diagnosed with in 2018, her works are now focused on visualising invisible illnesses and lived experience of the community of women who suffer with this condition. Fisher works closely with the IIH community as Arts & Culture representative with the IIHUK Charity.

Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension IIH symptoms by Mellissa Monsoon

Cyanotype print

Artist statement: Mellissa Monsoon is a British artist whose work explores the relationships between nature and the self. Past works have involved using casts of her own body and the bacteria that live on it to visualise the invisible world on our skin. She graduated in 2016 from the MA Art and Science course at Central Saint Martins and has since undertaken major commissions for the Eden Project and the BBC. In 2016 Mellissa was commissioned by the BBC to create a large scale microbial sculpture which formed a central theme of the documentary “Michael Mosely verses the Superbugs”, first shown on BBC4 in May 2017 and has now been shown internationally.

Mellissa has extensive experience working collaboratively with scientists and leads a range of participatory workshops exploring art and science. Recent research and projects are working with a rare brain condition Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) which Monsoon was diagnosed with in 2018, her works are now focused on visualising invisible illnesses and lived experience of the community of women who suffer with this condition. Fisher works closely with the IIH community as Arts & Culture representative with the IIHUK Charity.