Different & the Same: Artist Talk and Book Signing with Illustrator Melanie Reim

Join us for Different & the Same, an artist talk and book signing with New York reportage illustrator Melanie Reim. The first art book by Reim, this extensive collection of drawings captures women around the world by one of the most revered artists in the field of reportage illustration. For as long as Reim has been an artist and carried a sketchbook, she has felt compelled to draw the stories of women wherever she has traveled.

Different & the Same showcases more than 120 on-the-spot drawings from Reim’s travel sketchbooks spanning decades and continents. This impressive body of work transports readers to both public and intimate moments that celebrate women across cultures and places: basket weavers in the Dominican Republic, workers at garment factories in China, market vendors in Mexico and Barcelona, sunbathers in her native Long Island, a sea of women marching in protest in Washington, and many other instances where Reim recorded the scene as an observer or participant. Her dynamic art expresses her instantly recognizable style.

This 128-page hardcover book is a visual treat for anyone who appreciates the power of drawing and a celebration of women who experience joy, triumph, rituals, conversation and each other. “I aspire to tell a story that portrays women’s efforts and accomplishments with respect and admiration,” says Reim. Different & the Same, published by Sketcher Press, will be available to purchase in the SI Museum Shop.

About the artist

Melanie Reim is an award-winning illustrator with a sketchbook never far from her side. Her reportage drawings have been featured in numerous articles, books and exhibits and are part of the U.S. Air Force Art Collection in the Pentagon in Washington D.C. A former Associate Dean and Professor at the New York Fashion Institute of Technology School of Art and Design, Reim has been recognized as a Distinguished Educator by the Society of Illustrators and as a Fulbright Scholar. Since her retirement from academia, Reim has been sharing her love for teaching and drawing at in-person and online workshops with her global community.