Melissa Ichiuji is a multidisciplinary artist celebrated for her bold and confident figurative sculptures and performances. Her work, infused with eroticism and influenced by Surrealist traditions, explores the deep connection between the body and creativity. Ichiuji’s background in dance and theatre informs her approach, resulting in art that is intimate, personal, and provocatively playful. Through her sculptures and videos, she invites audiences to confront their deepest fantasies and repressions. A native of the Washington, DC area, Ichiuji attended the Duke Ellington School for the Arts before relocating to New York City. She performed with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and played Anita in the World Tour of West Side Story. An injury during the tour led her to rekindle her childhood passion for sculpture, leading to a Fine Arts degree from the Corcoran College of Art and Design. Ichiuji gained early acclaim with her performance art, notably STRIPPED, staged across from the White House. Her work has been featured in prestigious galleries, museums and publications worldwide, including The Washington Post, Art in America, and Sculpture Magazine. In 2018, she founded Guise and Dolls Figurative Sculpture School, and in 2023, opened the Melissa Ichiuji Studio Gallery in Front Royal, VA.