Suzann Victor

Suzann Victor, a contemporary artist known for her diverse portfolio spanning intimate performances, large-scale installations, public artworks, and collaborative endeavors, has gained acclaim for her thought-provoking socio-political creations. Victor's works are acknowledged for their profound exploration of postcolonialism's cultural legacy in Southeast Asia, the concept of female disembodiment, and the inversion of the abject.

Biography of Suzann Victor

Suzann Victor, born in 1959 in Singapore and currently based in Sydney, Australia, embarked on a unique artistic journey that defied traditional career paths. At the age of 19, she became a housewife after marrying her then-husband.

Seven years later, at the age of 26, while still married, Victor enrolled at LASALLE College of the Arts, beginning her formal artistic education. In 1988, Victor and her fellow LASALLE College of the Arts classmates took a bold step, staging a small exhibition along Orchard Road, featuring their abstract prints and paintings. This exhibition caught the eye of a passerby who owned a picture-frame shop in Orchard Point. Impressed by the students' work, the passerby sponsored a proper show in the shopping center. The exhibition garnered significant attention, leading to an extension of its run and the sale of all exhibited works.

In 1990, Victor graduated from LASALLE College of the Arts with an Associate Diploma of Fine Art (Painting). She later left Singapore in the mid-1990s to pursue her studies in Australia. Her academic journey led to a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1997, a Master of Fine Arts in 2000, and the attainment of a Doctor of Philosophy in 2008, all from the University of Western Sydney (now known as Western Sydney University).

5th Passage: A Catalyst in Singapore's Art Scene  

Victor played a pivotal role in the Singaporean art scene as the co-founder and artistic director of 5th Passage, a significant artist-run initiative and space. From 1991 to 1994, 5th Passage supported various artistic endeavors and organized public readings and forums, with a particular focus on gender, identity, and the work of women artists.

However, in late 1993, 5th Passage faced a controversial incident when the Artists' General Assembly (AGA) festival was held at their Parkway Parade space, co-organized with The Artists Village. The event featured Josef Ng's provocative "Brother Cane" performance, which garnered widespread attention and was deemed obscene in local newspapers. This led to 5th Passage being charged with breaching its Public Entertainment License conditions, blacklisted from funding by Singapore's National Arts Council, and ultimately evicted from its Parkway Parade site.

In 1994, 5th Passage received a ten-month opportunity to curate shows in vacant shop units at the Pacific Plaza shopping center. About a year after their activities at Pacific Plaza, the founding directors of the initiative left for further studies, leading to the group's disbandment.

Suzann Victor's Art Style

Suzann Victor's artistic style is renowned for exploring the multifaceted dimensions of human sensory experiences, perceptions, and natural phenomena.

In her work "River of Returning Gazes," Suzann Victor presents an intricate suite of pieces within the Lens-Painting Series. This collection reimagines ethnographic postcards from Southeast Asia, originating from the early colonial encounters, into complex hand-painted tableaux. These works create spaces of pictorial privacy and self-exploration for the colonized subject. The art, hidden behind a screen of lenses, is designed to resist immediate comprehension. Instead, it encourages viewers to engage with the images in a manner that fractures and displaces the conventional gaze, challenging established visual narratives and modes of perception.

Accolades and Collections

In recognition of her artistic achievements, Suzann Victor has received several prestigious awards and her works are held in prominent collections around the world:

• Australian Bicentennial "Highly Commended Award" (1988);
• IBM Merit Prize (1989);
• Singapore International Foundation Art Award (1995).

Her artworks can be found in the collections of various esteemed institutions, including the Singapore Art Museum, the Singapore Armed Forces Reservist Association, and the Australian High Commission in Singapore, among others.