“Soviet Supper” Steals the Show

When more than 300 artists submit 860 works for a juried art exhibition, it is fair to say that competition is keen. Chances of winning are not that high—especially for a newly minted printmaking graduate.

Despite the odds, Victoria Lockard entered the 10th Annual Fidelity Investments All Media Juried Exhibition primarily “to feel like I was doing something for my career. I had no attachment to winning. When my family and friends asked if I thought I could win, I couldn’t understand how absurd they were being.”

Lockard, who submitted a linocut entitled “Soviet Supper,” did not even consider the possibility of capturing a prize until the third and second place winners were announced. “It dawned on me then that I might have a chance. When I heard my name, my mouth dropped.”

While Lockard was shocked, the jurors may have seen a refreshing perspective in her work. “People say that I have a way of expressing an image that’s totally unseen before.”

“Soviet Supper” may have evoked a sense of mystery among the judges as well. Using a photo composite, Lockard created a dinner scene portraying three women and a man at a table topped with a bottle of vodka, shot glasses, and traditional Russian fare. Instead of showing the blank wall that was behind the dinner table, she cut an image of a Persian rug into the linoleum to represent a cold building. Lines cut into the plate give the work the impression of an old photo that has been folded in someone’s wallet.

“I like making up very complex stories when I create linocuts, but I wonder about what’s really going on. I’m also curious about what viewers think.”

Although “Soviet Supper” is open to interpretation, the trajectory of Lockard’s future is more concrete. An award-winning artist who also held her first solo show this spring, she is quickly gaining a well-deserved reputation for excellence.

—Maria V. Caliri ’82, M.B.A. ’92