Melanie Baker is an outspoken artist who makes politically charged works that engage a range of subjects including media, current news, American history, the economy, and popular culture. The majority of her works feature male figures, including frequent appearances by American politicians. Baker says that her practice is “based on images of power; men, in particular, who wield control over others. I look at their surfaces, the skin that’s revealed.” Baker was originally a painter, but she moved to dry media, favoring charcoal in particular. She has also produced a number of collages based on the theme of the 2012 United States presidential election. More recently, Baker has been producing a series of still-lifes replete with political and pop cultural iconography.