Diane Victor

Diane Victor (b. 1964, Witbank) is an acclaimed multidisciplinary artist known for her exceptional skills in draughtsmanship and printmaking. Victor's work, characterized by its biting critique of contemporary society and the legacies of colonialism and apartheid, addresses themes of social injustice, war, and corruption. Her innovative use of charcoal and candle smoke to create fragile portraits, especially of missing children, underscores the impermanence and fragility of human life.

Victor received her BA Fine Arts Degree, majoring in Printmaking, from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, graduating with distinction. She has won numerous awards, including the prestigious Volkskas Atelier Award in 1988, making her the youngest recipient. This award enabled her to spend ten months at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, working alongside experienced printmakers and gaining valuable insights into different societal contexts.

Her impressive body of work has been exhibited widely, both locally and internationally, at venues such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and MoMA in New York, the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, and the Faulconer Gallery in Iowa. Victor's works are part of significant collections, including Sasol, Pretoria Art Museum, Johannesburg Art Gallery, and Durban Art Museum.

Since 1990, Victor has been a dedicated educator, teaching drawing and printmaking at various South African institutions, including the University of Pretoria, Tshwane University of Technology, Open Window Academy, and the University of Johannesburg. She currently serves as a senior lecturer in Fine Art at the University of Pretoria.

Victor's artistic process generates tension through the interplay between tough social commentary and the delicate mark-making of her preferred media. This dynamic approach has earned her international acclaim and established her as a significant figure in contemporary art, influencing new generations of artists through both her work and her teaching. Her publications include "TAXI-013" and "Burning the Candle at Both Ends," which highlight her impactful contributions to the art world.

Victor continues to live and work in Johannesburg, South Africa, where she pursues her practice with an enduring commitment to exploring and challenging societal issues through her art.