Lina Iris Viktor is an Italy-based Liberian-British visual artist who is known for her paintings, sculptures, photographs, and performance art. She moved to the south of Italy in 2022 Viktor combines ancient and modern art forms to create multimedia paintings. She does this by combining an ancient technique called

gilding Gilding is a decorative technique for applying a very thin coating of gold over solid surfaces such as metal (most common), wood, porcelain, or stone. A gilded object is also described as "gilt". Where metal is gilded, the metal below was tradi ...

with photography and painting to create “symbols and intricate patterns." She overlays 24-karat gold over dark canvases to create works with “layers of light”. Allison K. Young in ''Haven. A Hell. A Dream Deferred'' says that these multimedia paintings suggest “the

socio-political Political sociology is an interdisciplinary field of study concerned with exploring how governance and society interact and influence one another at the micro to macro levels of analysis. Interested in the social causes and consequences of how ...

and historical preconceptions surrounding ‘blackness’ and its universal implications”. ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' described her paintings as "queenly self-portraits with a futuristic edge".

Biography

Lina Iris Viktor was born to parents from

Liberia Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to Guinea–Liberia border, its north, Ivory Coast to Ivory Coast–Lib ...

, West Africa. Her parents left Liberia because there was a civil war going on in the 1980s, which is why they moved to the U.K. She traveled frequently as a child and for numerous years lived in Johannesburg, South Africa. She studied film at

Sarah Lawrence College Sarah Lawrence College (SLC) is a Private university, private liberal arts college in Yonkers, New York, United States. Founded as a Women's colleges in the United States, women's college in 1926, Sarah Lawrence College has been coeducational ...

and photography at the

School of Visual Arts The School of Visual Arts New York City (SVA NYC) is a private for-profit art school in New York City. It was founded in 1947 and is a member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design. History This school was started by Silas ...

in New York City. Lina Iris Viktor in 2016 was thinking about creating artwork that corresponds to the history of Liberia, but it took around a year for her to articulate this concept because of how “complex and misunderstood” Liberia is. In 2017, The

New Orleans Museum of Art The New Orleans Museum of Art (or NOMA) is the oldest art museum, fine arts museum in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, New Orleans. It is situated within City Park (New Orleans), City Park, a short distance from the intersection of Carrollton ...

contacted Viktor for a solo show exhibition that “speaks to interconnected histories of

West Africa West Africa, also known as Western Africa, is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations geoscheme for Africa#Western Africa, United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Gha ...

and the

American South The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, Dixieland, or simply the South) is census regions United States Census Bureau. It is between the Atlantic Ocean and the ...

”. Viktor’s solo exhibition is titled ''A Haven. A Hell. A Dream Deferred''. In an Interview with

Ekow Eshun Ekow Eshun (born 27 May 1968) is a British writer, journalist, broadcaster, and curator. Eshun rose to prominence as a trailblazer in British culture. He was the first Black editor of a major magazine in the UK (''Arena'' Magazine in 1997) and ...

, he talks about inviting different artists including Lina Iris Viktor in 2022 to be a part of a show titled ''The Black Fantastic'' located at the

Hayward Gallery The Hayward Gallery is an art gallery within the Southbank Centre in central London, England and part of an area of major arts venues on the South Bank of the River Thames. It is sited adjacent to the other Southbank Centre buildings (the Royal ...

in London. Eshun in this interview said that Viktor came to visit the Hayward Gallery and was immediately inspired to create "two new sculptural works and three new paintings for the show". In 2018, Viktor was involved in a legal dispute with

Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. Regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, he was awarded the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music, becoming the first music ...

involving appropriation of her imagery for the video for "

All the Stars "All the Stars" is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar and American singer SZA. Written alongside Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith and producers Sounwave and Al Shux, the song was released on January 4, 2018, as the lead single to the soundtrac ...

" by

SZA Solána Imani Rowe (born November 8, 1989), known professionally as SZA ( ), is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her diaristic lyrics and genre explorations, she has been credited as a prominent figure in influencing contemporary R& ...

and Lamar. The dispute was settled. She is represented by Pilar Corrias, London.

Art

Viktor integrates painting, sculpture, photography, sculpture, and gilding to portray the history of Liberia while also investigating "the relationship between art,

prophecy In religion, mythology, and fiction, a prophecy is a message that has been communicated to a person (typically called a ''prophet'') by a supernatural entity. Prophecies are a feature of many cultures and belief systems and usually contain di ...

, and spiritual belief". Viktor is inspired by source imagery including "

astronomy Astronomy is a natural science that studies celestial objects and the phenomena that occur in the cosmos. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and their overall evolution. Objects of interest includ ...

, Aboriginal dream paintings,

African textiles African textiles are textiles from various locations across the Africa, African continent. Across Africa, there are many distinctive styles, techniques, dyeing methods,decorative and functional purposes. These textiles hold cultural significance ...

, and West and Central African myth and

cosmology Cosmology () is a branch of physics and metaphysics dealing with the nature of the universe, the cosmos. The term ''cosmology'' was first used in English in 1656 in Thomas Blount's ''Glossographia'', with the meaning of "a speaking of the wo ...

". Specifically in her series ''A Haven. A Hell. A Dream Deferred'' she discusses the "mythic history" of Liberia. In a book titled ''Africa State of Mind'' Ekow Eshun says Viktor "knits together events and images both factual and fantastical, ndconjures Liberia as an uneasy utopia, both a paradise lost and cautionary tale of

pathology Pathology is the study of disease. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in the context of modern medical treatme ...

colonization 475px, Map of the year each country achieved List of sovereign states by date of formation, independence. Colonization (British English: colonisation) is a process of establishing occupation of or control over foreign territories or peoples f ...

". In Viktor's multi media paintings the central figure pay homage to the figure of

Libyan Sibyl The Libyan Sibyl was the prophetic priestess presiding over the Oracle of Zeus-Ammon ( Zeus represented with the Horns of Ammon) at Siwa Oasis in the Libyan Desert. The term ''sibyl'' comes (via Latin) from the ancient Greek word ''sibylla'', ...

. The Libyan Sibyl is a classical mythological figure that can depict the future. The Libyan Sibyl figure is also "used as a common motif in the art and literature of the American abolitionist movement". Viktor uses

iconography Iconography, as a branch of art history, studies the identification, description and interpretation of the content of images: the subjects depicted, the particular compositions and details used to do so, and other elements that are distinct fro ...

from Liberia and the United States in hopes to emphasize "the depth and complexity of

African history Archaic humans emerged out of Africa between 0.5 and 1.8 million years ago. This was followed by the emergence of modern humans (''Homo sapiens'') in East Africa around 300,000–250,000 years ago. In the 4th millennium BC written history ...

and experience".

Notable works

A Haven. A Hell. A Dream Deferred Series

In this series Viktor creates mixed media paintings to depict the history of Liberia. Throughout the series she incorporates bold red lines to mimic "tropical foliage" and geometric patterns to imitate "the crimson stripes of the Liberia's flag". She uses colors red, white, and blue "to invoke the shared national iconography of both Liberia and the United States". Viktor says she wants to create a different perspective on "lost narratives" that connect the United States to Liberia. The central figure in these paintings represent the Libyan Sibyl, and this figure is wearing "patterns of Dutch Wax fabrics". The title of this series is inspired by '' Montage of a Dream Deferred'' by

Langston Hughes James Mercer Langston Hughes (February 1, 1901 – May 22, 1967) was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist from Joplin, Missouri. An early innovator of jazz poetry, Hughes is best known as a leader of the Harl ...

. The phrase "A Dream Deferred" is supposed to represent "the unrealized dreams and broken promises that punctuate Black American experience". Viktor hopes that this series educates others about the misconceptions of Liberia and the importance of the

African Diaspora The African diaspora is the worldwide collection of communities descended from List of ethnic groups of Africa, people from Africa. The term most commonly refers to the descendants of the native West Africa, West and Central Africans who were ...

and its cultural history.

''Third''

This is part of the ''A Haven. A Hell. A Dream Deferred Series'' and depicts a Libyan Sibyl "beside Liberia's flag, as if posing for a formal portrait". Viktor experiments with portraiture and "uses textile patterns as backdrops" and uses similar photographic compositions from West African photographers like Oumar Ka,

Seydou Keita Seydou Keïta (; anglicised to Keita; born 16 January 1980) is a Malian former professional footballer. A versatile midfielder, he operated as both a central or defensive midfielder. He is both the record appearance holder and scorer of the Ma ...

, Malick Sidibe, and Mamma Casset.

''Fourth''

This is part of the ''A Haven. A Hell. A Dream Deferred Series'' and illustrates a Libyan Sibyl figure holding a book in her left hand. The book, the robe, and the figures' posture are iconographic elements that pay tribute to the mosaic floor in the

Siena Cathedral Siena Cathedral () is a medieval church in Siena, Italy, dedicated from its earliest days as a Roman Catholic Marian church, and now dedicated to the Assumption of Mary. Since the early 13th-century the Siena Cathedral has been an important pa ...

titled Sibylla Lybica.

Solo exhibitions

* 2014: ''Arcadia'', Gallery 151, New York, NY * 2017: ''Black Exodus: Act I — Materia Prima'', Amar Gallery, London, United Kingdom * 2018: ''The Black Ark'', The Armory Show , Mariane Ibrahim Gallery, New York, New York * 2018: ''A Haven. A Hell. A Dream Deferred'',

, New Orleans, Louisiana * 2019: ''Some Are Born To Endless Night — Dark Matter'', Autograph ABP, London

Group exhibitions

* 2014: ''Intangible Beauty: Beautiful Women and The Endless Void'', Kasher Potamkin, New York, New York. * 2016: ''Africa Forecast: Fashioning Contemporary Life'',

Spelman College Museum of Fine Art The Spelman College Museum of Fine Art is a museum located on the Spelman College campus in Atlanta. Since its inception, the museum has been housed in the Camille O. Hanks Cosby Academic Center named after philanthropist Camille Cosby, who had ...

, Atlanta, Georgia * 2016: ''As The Cosmos Unfolds'', The Cob Gallery, London, United Kingdom. * 2016: ''Sisters of The Moon,''

Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft KMAC Contemporary Art Museum is an American art museum that "connects people to Art and Creative Practice". The museum is a 501c3 organization located in the West Main District, Louisville, West Main District of downtown Louisville, downtown Lo ...

, Louisville, Kentucky. * 2016: ''The Woven Arc'', The Cooper Gallery Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. * 2016: ''Art of Jazz:'' Form, Performance, Notes, The Cooper Gallery and

Harvard Art Museums The Harvard Art Museums are part of Harvard University and comprise three museums: the Fogg Museum (established in 1895), the Busch-Reisinger Museum (established in 1903), and the Arthur M. Sackler Museum (established in 1985), and four research ...

, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. * 2017: ''Lines, Motions, and Rituals,'' Magnan Metz, New York, New York. * 2017: ''Back Stories'', Mariane Ibrahim Gallery, Seattle, Washington. * 2018: ''Re-Significations: European Blackamoors, Africana Readings'', Zisa Zona Arti Contemporanee (ZAC) Manifesta European Contemporary Art Biennial 12, Palermo, Italy * 2018: ''The Artsy Vanguard'', Dior and Bergdorf Goodman, New York, New York. * 2018: ''Hopes Springing High'' — Gifts Of Art By African American Artists,

Crocker Art Museum The Crocker Art Museum is the oldest art museum in the Western United States, located in Sacramento, California. Founded in 1885, the museum holds one of the premier collections of Californian art. The collection includes American works dating f ...

, Sacramento, CA * 2022: ''In the Black Fantastic'',

, London

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Viktor, Lina Iris Afrofuturists 21st-century British women artists 1987 births Black British artists Living people British people of Liberian descent Liberian artists