Victoria Cantons, Transgender Woman No.6, 2021-22

Oil on linen

170 x 150 cm
66 7/8 x 59 in

Self-portrait painting by the artist, portrayed in the painting as she was aged 38, she is also a trans woman. Victoria Cantons has always been aware of limitations and stigma. She has memories of being different from the outset. A question that fascinates her is how much freedom does she have? Cantons wants to understand interpersonal relationships, and how we fit in in the world. Her multidisciplinary practice is worked through a filter of thinking about desire, time, loss, presence and absence, and language. Cantons says: "I am not a transgender female artist but rather an artist who happens to be a woman and transgender. Having been perceived to be a man and now being –hopefully– understood as a woman has given me a rare perspective. The human condition and identity are at the core of her work. Regarding Transgender Woman No.6, Cantons states "We are not just the clothed person we present to the world, we have many faces. We are defined by our response to experience and our relationships, and by language, and yet we are also unique individuals.” Quoting Rose Wylie, Cantons says that how the work looks is important, but meaning - politics, issues, story, and so on - is part of the structure of making a work, an act which is both personal and contemporary.

Exhibitions

Self Portrait Prize 2023
Shortlisted for the Self-Portrait Prize 2023

Artworks

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Victoria Cantons

Exhibitions