Victoria Gitman

Victoria Gitman paints with oils to reproduce quintessentially feminine items such as costume jewellery, finely beaded clutches or more recently, faux fur bags. Gitman seeks out her subjects at flea markets and vintage sales, selecting alluring items which beckon tactile inspection. Back in the studio, Gitman replicates these items to scale with immense detail, giving each bead or strand of fur ample attention. The emphasis on touch and texture is irresistible when these works are seen in the flesh. Although thoroughly figurative, Gitman's paintings are often linked to the minimalist abstract traditions of the 1960s due to their simplicity.Gitman's work showcases an adoration for beauty and grandeur, with playful nods to the pomp and ceremony found in classical portraiture. However, in her pieces, a queen might be replaced with a necklace or a checkerboard fur bag. This subversive choice of subject matter affords Gitman’s work a somewhat playful quality, as she wrestles with ideas of femininity, dynasty and humour.