An interview with Diane Victor

Abstract

During the last few years Diane Victor has established a strong presence among South African artists. At this relatively early stage of her career she already has a considerable list of exhibitions behind her name, and her works are represented in most of the major public collections in South Africa. Her sometimes macabre drawings of physical, sexual and psychological violence, the powerful quality of her drawings and graphics, and her consistently high level of technical excellence are well known, and have warranted her acclaim and recognition. By the time that she completed her Fine Arts degree at the University of the Witwatersrand in 1986, Victor had won a number of art awards and bursaries. In 1988 she won the Volkskas Atelier award, which afforded her a visit of ten months to Paris. This article, based on an interview with the artist, reviews salient characteristics in her work from the time of her Parisian visit.