What I Know

These three medium scale constructions are an extension of Victoria Selbach’s larger lifesize series of cutout figures, ‘Owning Her Desire’ which celebrates the stories and lives of her contemporaries and women of the past who are the masters of their own erotic journeys. ‘What I Want’, ‘What I Know’, ‘What About Me’ are each constructed of three shaped wood panels stacked to create an environment where the figure rests and can gaze out directly into the eyes of the viewer.  Each piece is one panel of a trio. It can be hung alone or as part of a triptych including: 'What About Me', 'What I Want' and 'What I Know'   'In a world where paintings of women rarely imply the subject is in command of her own sexuality, I paint these images. In a world where paintings of women are perpetually shown with the proverbial crossed legs, I choose these perspectives. When one encounters a taboo there is usually a deeply rooted reason we flinch. It is important to dig into it, question the history, push back. It is clearly difficult to frame thinking, let alone find the language to describe, what has been shuttered off by generations of culturally embedded taboos. What cannot be named by those who experience it remains invisible. Visuals can challenge us to frame what we are feeling where we otherwise lack the impetus to question. Art offers us a place to trigger thinking by asking open ended questions of the viewer. And so I create these works as flashpoint images rather than epic paintings with illustrative narratives. I paint these images fully aware that the maker does not control the reaction. The narrative springs from the life of the viewer'. — Victoria Selbach