Lina Iris Viktor, one of Elephant’s Rising Stars for 2019 has just opened her new solo exhibition at Autograph in Shoreditch. The British-Liberian artist, who is based in London and New York, combines photography, painting and 24-carat gold leaf to explore cultural histories of the global African diaspora and the definition of “blackness”, including its concept “as colour, as material and as socio-political consciousness”. Her visual language looks to European portraiture, classical mythology, astrology and ancient African symbolism to build her female-dominated world, where powerful, compelling figures seem to become one with the luscious environments that surround them. To coincide with her show, the artist has produced a signed, limited-edition giclée print made from a unique artist proof, available exclusively through Autograph. All proceeds go towards funding the organization’s educational artistic programmes. Some Are Born to Endless Night – Dark Matter shows at Autograph until 25 January 2020
