Creative / Long-Form Writing & Books
2021: Here, There... Evenwhere (Africa at Arnolfini)
2020: Narrative Beyond the UK Reggae Bassline (Palgrave Macmillan)
2019: Massive Attack - Out of the Comfort Zone
NON-FICTION
BOOK CHAPTERS
Bristol 650 (Oct. 2023)
Bristol 650 is a year-long celebration of all things Bristol, including a book, to be presented at the Festival o the Future City in October 2023.
I was write to write a chapter on culture - 'What Underground Culture Has Given Bristol': https://www.bristolideas.co.uk/read/what-underground-culture-has-given-bristol/
See more on the book here: https://www.bristolideas.co.uk/projects/bristol-650/
And here: https://visitbristol.co.uk/bristol650/get-involved/win-a-family-break-to-celebrate-bristol-650
On Bristol Street Art (July 2021)
I wrote a chapter on this book for the 'Vanguard' exhibition, on Bristol Street Art, and especially on the city's first graffiti artist, 3D aka Robert Del Naja - See here: https://www.tangentbooks.co.uk/shop/vanguard-bristol-street-art-the-evolution-of-a-global-movement
On Reggae Music and Genres it Influenced (Dec. 2020)
Chapter in this book published by Palgrave Macmillan:
Narratives from Beyond the UK Reggae Bassline - The System is Sound
E-BOOK ON ART HISTORY
'Here, There... Evenwhere' (Oct. 2021)
My art book with Arnolfini is available as PDF. Thanks to all the mesmerising artists for their inspiring creativity!
Details here: https://arnolfini.org.uk/here-there-evenwhere/
MY FIRST BOOK
Massive Attack - Out of the Comfort Zone (2019)
A detailed history of Massive Attack and their entangled, ongoing relationship with their home city, Bristol. Based around revealing interviews over 30 artists, from and close to the band, to explore the influences, politics and creativity of this pioneering group.
An interview: https://epigram.org.uk/2019/04/20/feature-when-bristol-music-went-out-of-the-comfort-zone/
Selected on Rough Trade's list of the best Music Books of 2019: https://blog.roughtrade.com/uk-books-of-the-year-2019/
Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/massive-attack/melissa-chemam/9781910089729
UK Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/books/massive-attack-out-of-the-comfort-zone/9781910089729
WRITTEN FOR RADIO 4
BBC Radio 4: An Installation by Lubaina Himid - 50 years of 'Ways of Seeing' (2022)
A commission around the anniversary of the groundbreaking book on art by John Berger. Listen here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00132xf
POETRY
Poem: 'Olive Skin'
Published on Thawra Magazine: https://www.thawra.co.uk/poetry/olive-skin
Poem: 'Heavenly Gardens'
Published on Thawra Magazine: https://www.thawra.co.uk/poetry/heavenly-gardens
FICTION
Novel (tba)
After working on short stories, novellas, poetry for years, I crafted this first novel over many years. Titled The Colour(s) of Love, I'm currently looking for an agent/publisher to release it.
RESEARCH
Research & documentation for a book on Women's history
For the French Feminist book "Donne-moi des Elles" (Out in Nov. 2022) on the history of "MATRIMONY":
https://www.donnemoideselles.com/notre-equipe
Conference: http://melissa-on-the-road.blogspot.com/2022/11/donne-moi-des-elles-le-livre-le-podcast.html
PUBLIC EVENTS
Conversation with Hew Locke at The Royal Academy, London (2023)
Guyanese British artist Hew Locke - in Conversation with art writer Melissa Chemam
Wed, 5 July 2023 18:30 BST
Royal Academy of Arts - Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, UK
Details: https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/event/hew-locke-in-conversation
My interview with the artists from 2022, for Art UK here: https://artuk.org/discover/stories/hew-lockes-the-procession-transforming-darkness-into-joy
Alfredo Jaar at The Goodman Gallery London (2023)
Exhibition Preview: Alfredo Jaar In Conversation with Melissa Chemam
Tue, 18 Apr 2023 18:00 - 18:30 BST
Goodman Gallery: 26 Cork Street, London W1S 3ND, UK
"IF IT CONCERNS US, IT CONCERNS YOU is a potent survey of works by Alfredo Jaar which chronicles the artist’s forty-year critique of the Western media. The exhibition features important works which span the artist’s career, from the early 1980s through to new works created in 2022, which have not been exhibited before. It is the largest presentation of Jaar’s Press Works series to date."
Event details: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/exhibition-preview-alfredo-jaar-in-conversation-with-melissa-chemam-tickets-590002201467
My interview with the artists from 2019, for WhyNow: https://whynow.co.uk/read/25-years-later-alfredo-jaar-at-goodman-gallery-london/
Speaker at Film Festivals
On cinema history at different film festivals, in Paris, Bristol, London:
-Bristol Palestine Festival 2022 https://bristolpff.org.uk/2022/11/05/boycott/
Film screening and Q&A at Arnolfini with Ken Loach and Palestinian, Israeli, British activists: https://arnolfini.org.uk/whatson/bristol-palestine-film-festival-boycott/
-Afrika Eye Nov. 2022 https://www.afrikaeye.org.uk/art-and-activism
Art of Resistance (2022)
At The Last Frontier Festival, exploring Bristol’s art/activism
Sat. 5 March 2022 https://www.trinitybristol.org.uk/activities/art-of-resistance/events/the-final-frontier
Working-Class Writers Festival (2021)
I'm part of this is a dynamic new festival of national significance, taking place in Bristol at Watershed and the Knowle West Media Centre.
Programme here: https://www.bristolideas.co.uk/projects/class/
Our panel: https://www.bristolideas.co.uk/attend/classfest-change/
My workshop: https://www.bristolideas.co.uk/attend/english-as-a-second-language/
Talk at Waterstones (2021)
The Galleries, Bristol, on Sat. 14 Aug. 2021, 6-8pm:
https://www.waterstones.com/events/welcome-back-bristol/bristol-galleries
Reading for Berlin's music lovers (2019)
PLAYTIME Music Album Sessions: Massive Attack – Mezzanine (21th Anniversary Remastered Vinyl LP) Full Album Listening + Reading by Melissa Chemam from her book 'Massive Attack: Out Of The Comfort Zone'