Melissa McGill is an interdisciplinary artist with an international practice spanning over three decades. Her dynamic studio work is deeply connected to a collaborative, public-facing practice that brings communities together through ambitious, site-responsive interventions. These projects foster nuanced dialogues around land, water, sustainable traditions, and our collective interconnectedness.
Her practice centersres on developing impactful, change-making initiatives that engage local communities through innovative and meaningful approaches to water-based storytelling. In an era often defined by division and fear, these participatory works create rare, transformative spaces for collective unity and environmental consciousness.
In 2024, she presented Eridanus, an exhibition in collaboration with the State Archive of Turin, Italy, which explored alternative methods of mapping and navigation inspired by the generative nature of water. She was honored to receive the Metcalf Visionary Award from the RISD Alumni Association in 2022.
Previous major projects include Red Regatta (2019), a groundbreaking public artwork in the Venetian Lagoon involving over 300 local collaborators, realized in partnership with the Associazione Vela al Terzo Venezia and Magazzino Italian Art, with an associated exhibition at the United Nations. Constellation (2015–2017), developed in collaboration with New York State Parks and the Lenape Center, revitalized a historic island in the Hudson River and was supported by an National Endowment for the Arts ArtWorks Grant.
These independent, large-scale projects have reached millions, inspiring environmental stewardship, expanding access to the arts, and forging lasting partnerships across diverse communities and socio-economic backgrounds.