Artist Studio
IWD London: Talking Confidence With Victoria Topping
Victoria Topping talks to our UK Fair Director about her desire to impregnate her artwork with its own unique soul.
This interview is part of our global International Women’s Day campaign where we are talking to 6 great female artists who will each be presenting their work at one of our Spring fairs; London, Sydney, Los Angeles, Brooklyn, Melbourne and Chicago.
Please tell me a little bit about your practice.
My pieces are created through building up multiple textures and images and combining these to develop a distinct visual language, using recurring motifs. I work using a fusion of technology and traditional techniques – often using photo manipulation, painting, gold-leafing and cut up collage which is then digitally scanned and arranged on the computer, before I work back in to the resulting digital print. My aim is to impregnate my work with its own unique soul, through harnessing a blend of spirituality, culture and music.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
My work is heavily influenced by music, from the styling and art direction of 1970s Jazz and Soul to the passion and ebullience of Gospel and Disco. I take musical aspects and work to synthesize them into visual form, working towards distilling the vibrancy of music into a ‘music for the eyes’.
What are you looking forward to in 2019?
I spent the entire of last year creating artwork for a book so I’m looking forward to getting the time to create some large scale prints again and developing my new LOVE BUG series with the aim of having a solo show by the end of the year. I’m also looking forward to experimenting in the studio with new techniques and materials to enhance my printing process.
Have you got any advice for other female artists just starting their practice?
It can be hard but you have to be confident and believe in yourself and your unique message. Don’t give in to what’s fashionable – do you!
Which female artists, past or present, would you like to take for a drink?
Hilma af Klint, Yayoi Kusama, and Loïs Mailou Jones
Want to meet and buy directly from Victoria Topping? Well at The Other Art Fair London, 14-17th March, The Old Truman Brewery, you can!
