Falling from Grace

A 1996 etching and aquatint print titled, Why defy is by the South African artist, Diane Victor (b. 1964). This work gives a sense of gender inequality as the iron in the work casts its shadow over the portraits of some of the women in the work. An iron marked with the word ‘DEFY’ and a woman pressed into the side standing in angst in the dark makes one feel that violence has occurred and the woman standing might have been marked for her disobedience by means of this very same iron she uses to make him representable and respected by society. Victor also plays on the word defy, which refers to a well-known South African appliance brand 'Defy'. Why Defy forms part of Victor’s most notable and ongoing ‘Disasters of Peace’ series, which was inspired by Francisco de Goya’s (1746-1828) sequence of etchings ‘Disasters of War’ (1810-1820). In this series of the ‘Disasters of Peace’, Victor addresses the aftermath of apartheid and the ongoing struggles for peace and justice in South Africa. Victor conveys powerful commentary on the effects of violence and conflict and the toll it takes on individuals and communities as portrayed through daily media coverage. Through her use of vivid imagery and bold mark making, Victor conveys the devastating impact of murder, racism, corruption, oppression, poverty and the ongoing struggle for recovery and healing. The ‘Disasters of Peace’ series explores brutality and grievances that are so frequent that they no longer raise outcry from the South African public. The ‘Disasters of Peace’ has been widely acclaimed for its unflinching honesty and its ability to confront difficult topics within the irony of daily life. Short Biography: Diane Victor is a prominent South African artist born in 1964. She is best known for her printmaking, drawing, smoke drawing, and installation works that address political and social issues. Victor received her training at the University of the Witwatersrand and has since established herself as a significant figure in the South African and international art scene. Her works have been widely exhibited both locally and internationally and are held in major public and private collections. She won the SASOL New Signatures Award in 1987 and became the youngest recipient of the Volkskas Atelier Award in 1988. In addition to her artistic practice, Victor has also been involved with the University of Pretoria as a lecturer and visiting artist.