Scorched

Diane Victor is one of the best known and most significant artists at work in South Africa today. Her work is tough and political. She doesn’t shy away from candid subjects and fierce imagery. The artist writes of this print: "The work responds to the ongoing wave of violence particularly against woman in our society. Rural women in South Africa often bare the brunt of social upheavals and violence, while still being expected to maintain the family structures that hold their communities together. Added to this is the scourge of domestic violence, community violence and often downright criminal behavior.

The woman in the image carries a heavy load from which leaks appear, like rain, metaphorically losing the things she values. This drips down and yet cannot extinguish the burning shadow that she always casts behind her. Her shadow scorches both earth and community in its wake. In war times, scorched earth strategies intentionally destroy everything of value to inhibit enemy progress. In a similar way scorched societies self destruct and destroy their own values and people."