Vikky Alexander facts for kids

Vikky Alexander (born January 30, 1959) is a Canadian artist. She is known for her unique art that combines photography with other art forms. Vikky Alexander lives in Montreal, Canada. She was a professor of photography at the University of Victoria and is now a professor emerita, meaning she has retired but still holds the title.

She has shown her art around the world since 1981. Her work often explores ideas about nature, space, and how we see things. She uses mirrors, large photo murals, postcards, and videos in her art.

About Vikky Alexander

Vikky Alexander was born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. She studied art at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1979.

What Kind of Art Does She Make?

Vikky Alexander is famous for her big photo-mural installations. These are large artworks that combine photography with sculptures or other objects. She is very interested in the history of buildings and design. She also creates drawings and collages.

Her art often looks at how real and artificial things mix together. In the early 1980s, her work was part of a movement called Appropriation art. This is where artists use existing images or objects in new ways. She was one of the youngest artists to be recognized in this movement.

In her more recent art, Vikky Alexander continues to explore the differences between nature and human-made culture. She looks at how consumerism (buying things) creates ideas about perfect lifestyles. She also explores the connection between beauty and things that are not natural.

Where Has Her Art Been Shown?

Vikky Alexander's art has been shown in many places around the world. She has had solo exhibitions (shows just for her art) in cities like New York City, Bern, Vancouver, and San Francisco.

She has also been part of many group exhibitions. Her work has been displayed at famous museums such as the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. Other places include the Barbican Art Gallery in London and the Seattle Art Museum.

In 2021, her art was part of an exhibition called Making Space in Halifax, Canada. In 2024, she had a solo show in Paris, France, called Vikky Alexander, Dream Palace.

Her work was also featured in a big exhibition called Intertidal in Antwerp in 2004. This show highlighted artists from the Vancouver School. The Vancouver School is a group of artists known for their photography and conceptual art.

Where Can You See Her Art Permanently?

You can find Vikky Alexander's art in several important museum collections. These include the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art. Her work is also at the International Center of Photography in New York City.

The National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa also has her art. The Deste Foundation in Athens, Greece, is another place where her work is collected.

What Do Others Say About Her Art?

Ian Wallace, an artist and writer from the Vancouver School, has described Vikky Alexander's work. He says her art shows our imagination and daydreams. These dreams can make us question what is real. He believes her art explores how we escape everyday life through beautiful images.

Another artist and critic, Dan Graham, has talked about how design is used in her art. He noted how her work in the 1980s made people think about the relationship between artists and clients. He said her "products" were not just for mass production or galleries. They made people question what art and design truly mean.

Dan Cameron, an American curator, reviewed her large artwork called Lake in the Woods from 1986. He described it as a room with a beautiful photo mural of nature. Facing it was a wall unit with mirrors. He felt the piece showed nature as something decorative and artificial.