Melroy Bisel, the artist behind Lekkermenselijk, depicts the experiences of ordinary people: sex, relationships, and politics combining them with his personal interests in cats and veganism. “It really intrigues me how human beings work. I think a lot about it. What makes us human?”
Although Melroy reads plenty of graphic novels and comic strips growing up, he was not particularly interested in creating his own. Instead, he preferred making character studies, focusing on how details can express the features of a character. “If I could think of a comic, I would approach someone to write it for me and think of a story together with me.” The lockdowns during COVID pushed Melroy to make his own drawings with text. “I was looking for ways to get the things out of my head… there were a lot of frustrations, I needed an outlet and that became Lekkermenselijk.”
Initially, Melroy was putting text with his drawings and occasionally some jokes then posting these online as a way to express himself. The lockdowns provided a sort of universal experience and many people resonated with his work as his audience grew unexpectedly quick. Following the end of the lockdowns, Melroy continues to share his feelings through drawing. He admits that it is more difficult to find topics that matches the widespread experience of 2020, but drawings on topics like relationships remain relatable. He also draws strongly from animal cruelty. By sharing his advocacy for reduced consumption of animal products and humane treatment, he hopes to affect change.
Currently, Melroy treats his Instagram account as a digital sketchbook, where he can explore his ideas and intuition. For his posts, he uses a stylus and tablet to translate his feeling into lines. His platform functions as a space to be playful, fine tune ideas and receive feedback that he will later use in his offline creations. Melroy deems creating and publishing his works as an emotional experience. He cares deeply about the reception of his work but recognizes he cannot create with what other people will like in mind alone.
Melroy takes much inspiration from everyday life. He draws from everyday happenings, conversations and regularly scans the news. He basks in solitude, conceptualizing best when he is alone with his thoughts. “It needs to be between me and my work, it’s truly a solo project.”