paradox

victoria cassinova - a solo exhibition

19 August - 16 September 2023

Band of Vices is thrilled to announce the solo exhibition debut by Los Angeles-based artist, Victoria Cassinova, PARADOX.

Featuring figurative oil paintings on canvas and graphite works on paper, PARADOX fosters the interconnected themes of self-discovery, spiritual autonomy, and claiming agency over the body from the female perspective. Cassinova depicts the female form in dynamic and sensual poses, challenging the historical objectification of women in art. Her works on paper transcend the physical realm to explore the spiritual dimensions of femininity--encapsulating moments of solitude, reflection, and transcendence--while her oil paintings capture women in moments of self-empowerment and assertion.

Through works on paper like Shadow Integration, Circuits and Sift, Cassinova delves into the concept of shadow work, inviting viewers to confront and embrace the hidden aspects of their psyche. She visualizes the process of self-examination, portraying feminine subjects engaged in introspection and self-awareness as the figures seemingly phase between one another in deeply contrasted grayscale. In works like Vessel and As Much As Possible, the artist examines the integration of withdrawal and rumination by focusing her composition on singular figures within a void of negative space. These works explore the notion of self-mastery, encouraging viewers to forge a deeper connection with their inner selves. Cassinova refers to her drawings as “meditations on my paintings, which are more set within the governing principles of space and time where the feminine can assert and claim the many facets of her being”.

With her use of vibrant color and collage-like painted texture, Cassinova celebrates the reclamation of the feminine body and spirit. Her oil paintings portray women embracing their sensuality and desires with unapologetic confidence in works like Bread Puppets and Sky Blades. The artworks depict women undergoing personal transformation, shedding societal expectations, and stepping into their authentic selves as agents of their own desires and pleasure. Through her exploration of agency, other works in PARADOX, like Violet Mind - 4D, expand on the notion of female solidarity as three women on street bikes ride amidst a violet-hazed parallel world, forging paths defined by their own terms.

PARADOX conceives of a newfound sense of control and becoming, shaped by the narratives of introspection and metamorphosis. From black and white gray tones to vibrant color and texture, Cassinova weaves a tale of navigating the complexities of bodily autonomy and spiritual sovereignty in order to manifest a greater sense of identity and empowerment.

“My work is in conversation with Naudline Pierre, as I relate to her spiritual iconography and transcendental motifs where she explores imaginative worlds and spiritual transcendence.

Joan Semmel’s dedication to representations of the female body, as well as her shift to adopting her own body as the focus of her paintings in 1974, parallels my exploration of agency over my bodily autonomy”.

- Victoria Cassinova, Artist

“What Ms. Cassinova delivers in PARADOX is an intense, internal process of liberation. Thoughtful and complex, she executes a body of work with a precise undertaking, instigating the conversation of confronting our own notions of the female body”.

- Terrell Tilford, Creative Director