Victoria Zaba

Enamel

As the first part of my Childhood series, "Enamel" explores the surface level of my upbringing as it is the brightest and clearest image of the three. "Enamel" is a dental term for the outside layer of your teeth. While enamel changes colour, chips, and can get repaired throughout one's lifetime, at the very beginning, it is at its strongest and truest form. The dental chair featured in each image is situated in my childhood home's boiler room and has been a large part of my childhood, as my father was my dentist.

Decay

"Decay" is the third and final image from my Childhood series, and it explores the ending of childhood. In dentistry, decay is when bacteria attack the enamel's surface; it leads to decline, deterioration, rot, and potential loss. When childhood ends, one's innocence disappears, and the wonder begins to fade. One starts to view childhood from an adult point of view, often picking up on the realities of experience and understanding obscured hardships. Each person's childhood ends at a different time. Just like teeth, it is important to preserve those childhood qualities as long as you can.

Occlusion

"Occlusion" is the second photograph of my Childhood series. “Occlusion” is a dental term for one's bite, the relationship between the upper and lower teeth when they interact. In nondental terms, occlusion refers to a process where something is hidden or obscured from view. This photograph aims to explore the hidden aspects of childhood, both good and bad.

Inspiration

She finds inspiration in her life experiences, circumstances, and her environment. The reason for Victoria's artmaking is the desire to make art that is impactful, confrontational, and thought-provoking. Within her practice, Andres Serrano has significantly inspired Victoria’s work. She enjoys Serrano’s confrontational approach to photography in order to bring awareness to contemporary issues. Victoria strives to be as aggressive as Serrano is in his works.

Artist Biography

Victoria Czyz is a fourth-year Visual Studies student who takes an interdisciplinary approach to art making. She often draws upon her own experiences and circumstances when creating works of art. While Victoria mostly paints, she has recently been exploring conceptual photography, conceptual film, and sculpture within her practice.