Misla

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My mixed-media practice explores the complexities of identity, memory, and belonging within the Puerto Rican diaspora, mainly focusing on the Latinx home and NYC apartments. Through painting, collage, and installation, I layer found materials and vibrant colors to evoke the culturally dualistic environments that have shaped my community. This process allows me to explore materials instinctually and express the creativity inherent in our resilience.

Following in the footsteps of influential Nuyorican artists like Pepón Osorio, Juan Sánchez, and Nitza Tufiño, I strive to create immersive pieces that invite viewers to engage with the complexities of home, safe space, and cultural hybridity. My current work expands upon these themes within the Puerto Rican diaspora and extends to explore the queer experience. I am particularly drawn to investigating the intersectionality of queerness and Latinx identity, challenging stereotypes, and celebrating the transformative power of reclaiming our stories and shaping our narratives. Central to my exploration is how these identities and experiences intersect and are translated through space and environment.
Through my playful yet poignant compositions, I aim to foster a greater understanding of our community's complexities and resilience. I invite viewers to reflect on their own experiences of belonging and self-determination within a society that often overlooks our narratives and histories.

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Melissa Misla (she/her) is a queer Nuyorican mixed-media artist based in Queens, New York, whose work explores the complexities of identity, memory, and belonging within the Puerto Rican diaspora.

Deeply influenced by her Nuyorican roots, Misla’s vibrant and immersive installations, paintings, and mixed-media works offer a personalized and collective account of the Latinx home and NYC apartments. Primarily a painter, she also layers collage and found materials to delve into the culturally dualistic environments that have shaped her and her community, creating a visual narrative that honors the endurance and creativity of the diaspora.

Misla holds a BFA from Hunter College and an MFA from Queens College. Her work has been exhibited in prestigious venues such as El Museo del Barrio, the NY Latin American Art Triennial, and the Heckscher Museum. She is represented by Praxis Gallery and her work continues to spark conversations about migration, cultural hybridity, and the ongoing struggle for visibility and self-determination.