Victoria Maria Zaba

Lucifer in Thought

Religious artwork throughout history makes sure not to limit itself with its exaggeration on storytelling, creating impressively rich scenes paired with striking characters and entities, and when it comes to representing characters of evil, like that of Lucifer, some of these pleasant features surprisingly remain constant. From the 1880 painting Tamara and Demon by Mihaly von Zichy, a representation of a demon longing for love, to the Le génie du mal sculpture from 1848 created by Guillaume Geefs at the request of the church to replace a previous Lucifer statue deemed too attractive, this pattern of representing evil with alluring elements is an interesting trend to think about, especially considering the time period. By using the Caravaggio technique, I have made my own attempt at illustrating a ‘pleasant’ entity of evil.

Artist Biography

My name is Victoria Maria Zaba, and I am a Polish Canadian second year university student who has a deep fascination with realism and classical art and architecture. I am currently completing a combined degree with Visual Studies and Greek and Roman Studies along with a minor in architecture. My passion for art was heavily influenced by my mother, who painted with oils herself and brought me to many museums regularly, both in Canada and Poland as a child. Having grown up in a Catholic household, religion has always been in my life. Though I may not strongly connect with religion itself, I have developed a fascination for the storytelling and characters of both Catholicism and ancient Mediterranean myths.

Artist statement

My work focuses on imagery from myths and religious stories typically in the form of oil painting, digital, charcoal, and graphite drawing. My interest in pop culture, nostalgia, and ancient Mediterranean history mingle together to inspire my work. Sometimes I will create just for the sake of fulfilling my constant desire to bring fantastical imagination to life and other times I will create realism works with deeper undertones that comment on modern issues I am passionate about.

How did you start your art practice?

I began taking art seriously in the 8th grade, but it wasn't until the 10th grade that I pushed myself out of my confines of only ever drawing with pencil and paper. Throughout high school I was confused with what I wanted to do with my creativity in the future. I had considered being an animator, a movie director, and a writer, but I always came circling back to my basic love of illustrating my creativity. Though I have made a definitive decision in going down the path of fine arts, my interest in so many of its mediums ensures that I keep my practice diverse and ever-changing.