I expand upon paintings materiality to explore themes of identity, perception, and the sensory body. Hidden within painterly gestures and kaleidoscopic folds are allegorical references to my lived experience with complex mental illness. I play with illusion and perceptions trickery; using space, surface, sound, and light to mobilise the perceptual scaffolding that supports our sense of reality. The works act as simulations of my experiences, Inviting the viewer to engage both physically and emotionally, attempting to enter the physicality of one's affective body. Their bodies, not passive observers, but active participants. Contributing to the evolving simulacra of the work's subject.
Sophie Victoria is a multidisciplinary artist living and working in Eora/Sydney. She has had a strong introduction into the international and national spheres prior to finishing her Master of Fine Arts at the National Art School in 2024. She is currently represented by Galerie Robertson Arés in Canada and The House of Fine Art HOFA in London, where she has been featured in various international art fairs including Contemporary Istanbul, Art Miami, Art Toronto, Kiaf Seoul, and Expo Chicago from 2022 to 2024. She has been a finalist in the Sir John Sulman Prize for 2022 at the AGNSW. She has recently had her solo debut on the international scene with QUALIA in Montreal in June 2024, as well as other group exhibitions such as ‘Her Alchemy’ in London 2024, and DARING in Sydney 2024.
Photo by Peter Morgan, 2021