Melyssa Lim, a collaborator
We’re not entirely sure what it is about TMDC that keeps attracting such talented people. But, Melyssa joined us as an intern, and we’re deeply grateful that she chose to be part of TMDC for a while.
Melyssa Lim
She brings and shares an energy that makes everything feel possible. She arrived confident working with wood, but after just a month, we could already tell she had become a true metal worker. Melyssa adapts to whatever comes her way! From ethereal inflatables to sturdy metal structures, no project has been too challenging for her.
“[...]Now I find myself mostly thinking in metal and even have had dreams about ways to sculpt it.”
TMDC: You have been working at TMDC for almost a year (how long you were here?). How came your choice to come to TMDC? Did you have a special project in mind?
Melyssa: I have been at TMDC for just over 8 months! I found out about TMDC through my masters in New Materials in Elisava and had my final exhibition there. I also got to know the space initially through La Cantina 258, as my final project for the masters involved a delicious curated feast from Alba and Edu. So it was through working with them and setting up our final scene in the outdoor space of TMDC that made me want to apply there.
What do you study? And how did the experience at TMDC enrich your further studies?
My background is illustration and an array of crafts from wood turning, traditional paper making, glassblowing and lampworking, blacksmithing and experimental sculpture and furniture. I studied Design through New Materials at Elisava to further hone my craft skills into functional objects with a focus on sustainability. My experience at TMDC helped me discover a gravitation to metal that I never knew I possessed before. Initially, I always felt the least connected to metal as an element - I used to think it was a material that required a lot of brute force and I always prefered materials that had their own ability to guide me into what it wants to transform into. However, during my time at TMDC, my very first task was fabricating with metal and I soon discovered the potential of the material that I was previously shortsighted about. Now I find myself mostly thinking in metal and even have had dreams about ways to sculpt it.
How would you describe your experience at TMDC in 3 words?
“Eclectic, cross-pollinating, explorative.”
Which part of the process do you prefer, designing or making? And from where do you get your inspiration?
I like both but I will say, I naturally gravitate towards making more. I tend to think less at the beginning and just start putting things together and let that autonomous action guide my creative process. I prefer to play around with a material and try using it in "wrong" ways first to explore unconventional finishes.
I think my interest and experience in a wide array of materials but not with full technical knowledge, allows me to not be boxed into the "right" ways of using a tool or material. Inspiration for me usually comes from natural surroundings and the kinetic energy between two things or elements. I love when many of the same small things come together to build something big, I love unusual and quirky ways things interlock and create joinery, I love when the energy of people around me drive ideas into my head. Mostly, a lot of the pieces that I make tend to come to me in a dream. So in my time awake, I am just trying to recreate the artefacts of my dreamscapes.
“I am really drawn to the ability of transforming just one material into different shapes, sizes and bends to create a finished unified piece. ”
You have made a couple of practical items for TMDC, can you list them and how was the process?
Most of the things I have made for TMDC are metal structures for utility purposes including the hanging racks for the spray painting booth, a few metal stands to hold metal poles, wall mounts to hold other metal tools. One that is still in construction is fire-safety trash bin for disposing oil rags, my first attempt at making moving parts on an object. This has been a little tricky for me as my brain does not think very mechanically jajaja.
My favourite thing I have made for TMDC is the trolley (carrito), that holds the tools for the Elisava workshop. It is bright neon green and everytime I see it, it honestly makes me happy. This was the item that really fired up inspiration for making other metal objects for me. I love that the design can be scaled up and down and customised for different uses. It is also an object that uses metal only in one form - tubes. I am really drawn to the ability of transforming just one material into different shapes, sizes and bends to create a finished unified piece.
“TMDC is the sixth workshop I have worked in and I understand the importance of being well - orientated with a shared working space.”
You also re-structured the Introduction course for the Elisava students. How come and what was the bigger purpose behind this proposal?
My arrangement with Pedro for my time with TMDC was to do work beyond helping out in the workshop with daily tasks, it was to also look into developing workshops for the public. Initially, I was developing a two day workshop to build the same trolley cart that I had mentioned previously. When I presented this idea to Pedro, he mentioned the Elisava workshop and asked if I had any ideas to advance it.
From there, I thought it was an important cause and pivoted into focusing to develop the machine orientation for Elisava students instead. Coming from the same school, it also feels great to have evolved into being able to give something back. TMDC is the sixth workshop I have worked in and I understand the importance of being well-orientated with a shared working space - the duty of keeping it conducive for everyone, making sure that when things are broken to make sure it gets attended to and most importantly, how to be safe in the space.
Can you share some learnings from this experience? How big was your team?
I really wanted the capacitation to be engaging, this was my upmost priority. As everyone else, I believe you learn more by doing instead of just watching and listening. This is the main idea behind the 3 day course designed for Elisava - for students to build a functional object, making use of all the workshop machinery in the process and for them to experience first hand. The sooner you start using tools and maintaining the frequency, the sooner you will feel accustomed and familiar with them. It is all about turning students from consciously incompetent to unconsciously competent. None of this would have been possible without a great team. We had Juan Pablo leading the woodworking side and being assisted by Jordi and Nico. In the metal room, Edu was leading and was assisted by Lucas and myself. As the workshops went by, we were running smoother and smoother like a well oiled engine.
If you could come back to TMDC what project would you like to do that time?
I would focus on metal fabrication as I am currently really enjoying welding and the whole process of it. It has thought me so many new ways of thinking and building. I also worked with Nacho from Bakkiu, helping him in his manufacturing of beautiful charcoal grills. He is one of my favourite people I have met from TMDC and hope to continue working with him more in the future.
For future projects, I want to take all the fabrication skills I have learnt in my time at TMDC and turn it towards my own sculptural work. I have always been drawn to unique doors, I refer to them as "portals", I would love to create my own versions of portals done in a renaissance meets sci-fi kind of way. I am also looking forward to testing myself and incorporating more laser cutting into my usually completely analog work, to create clean and sharp shapes which I would not have been able to do with a disc cutter. I aim to make more functional objects with a quirky flare and keep developing my relationship with metal as a material.
Will you use this experience for future projects?
I will definitely be using this experience for future projects. I have learnt that I actually really enjoy teaching as well and would love to dive back into developing more workshops for TMDC. Beyond machine orientation, I am also very interested in helping others transform their craft skills into a functional and intriguing workshop with an approachable class syllabus. I really enjoyed the back end logistical planning of workshops too so I hope for more platforms and opportunities in which I can expand this.