MY PAINTINGS
VICTORIA Y MAR (ZHOU XIAOYA)
About Victoria Y Mar (Zhou Xiaoya)
Victoria Y Mar ( Zhou Xiaoya ) was born in China and received her artistic training in both Shanghai and at the renowned Universität der Künste (UDK) in Berlin. A multifaceted artist, violinist, and pianist, she now lives and works between Berlin and Barcelona.
Her early career as a violinist saw her performing with the Berliner Symphonie Orchester from 1994 to 1998 . Following this, she pursued a successful career as a soloist and quartet violinist, performing internationally. However, in the early 2000s, her artistic focus shifted toward painting, a transformation inspired by her mentorship under French Informel artist Georges Noël.
Victoria first met Georges Noël in 1997 at an exhibition in Berlin, which led to the beginning of a mentorship that greatly influenced her shift towards painting. During their collaboration, she learned modern painting techniques and developed her own abstract, gestural style.
This experience helped her transition from a career in music to establishing herself as a visual artist.
Under Noël’s guidance, Victoria honed her distinctive artistic voice, blending her background in music with visual art.
As a conduit for the unconscious, she often incorporates motifs of nature and spirituality into her work. Her work is deeply infused with rhythm, musicality, and an intuitive approach to form and color with each piece evolving uniquely during the creative process. Known for her rich, vibrant hues, dynamic compositions, and flowing, rhythmic lines, her work offers a synesthetic experience that harmoniously merges sound and vision.
With over two decades of experience, Victoria Y Mar paints not only for personal expression but to share her unique vision with the world. Her body of work defies categorization and invites viewers to experience.
Next Exhibitions
Exhibition: F 37 Gallery
Adress: Berlin Fasanenstrasse 37, 10719 Berlin, Germany
Opening: Friday, September 20, 2024, 18:00
Closing: Friday, October 18, 2024, 18:00
Exhibition: Gallery Olymp Berlin
Adress: Otto-Weidt-Platz 8, 10557 Berlin
Space “Rhapsody in Blue“
Opening: Sunday, December 8, 18:00
Closing: Thursday, January 30, 18:00
Artworks
China Garden
Acrylic on Canvas – L(80 x 80 cm) x M (80 x 120 cm) x R(80 x 80 cm)
The China Garden triptych is a visual journey inspired by Chinese folklore and music. Initially influenced by Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain, the artist’s focus underwent a significant shift in response to world events. When the Ukrainian war broke out in February 2022, the political climate and cultural sensitivities surrounding Russian music prompted the artist to pause her original thematic direction. During March and April in Barcelona, she felt a growing discomfort in continuing with Russian musical influences, leading her to reimagine her artistic narrative. This transition allowed her to delve into the rich tapestry of Chinese culture, drawing inspiration from the theme of the Jasmin Flower in folklore. The China Garden triptych became a vibrant expression of hope and renewal, moving away from the dark, chaotic energy of Night on Bald Mountain to embrace the serene beauty of Chinese traditions. This shift symbolizes a reclamation of artistic identity and a desire to reflect positivity in the face of adversity, creating a harmonious blend of visual storytelling and cultural exploration.
No. 1 La Mer Trois Symphonies
Acrylic on Canvas 150 x 200 cm
This painting serves as the centerpiece of the exhibition. Inspired by Claude Debussy’s La Mer, it evokes the grandeur and mystery of the sea through fluid brushstrokes and vibrant color palettes. The viewer is invited to experience the symphonic ebb and flow of the ocean, much like Debussy’s musical composition, which captures the essence of water’s constant movement.
No. 2 Arctic Fantasy
Acrylic on Canvas 97 x 120 cm
No. 3 Original Newyork
Acrylic on Canvas 73 x 90 cm
The four seasons
Acrylic on Canvas 90 x 73 cm
The golden Hubertussee
Acrylic on Canvas 90 x 73 cm
Forest Murmurs – No. 1: Encounter; No. 2: Dreams of Love; No. 3: Memory (from left to right).
These three paintings were inspired by the piano music of the composer Franz Liszt: “Forest Murmurs” and “Dreams of Love”.
Acrylic on Canvas – Each painting 50 x 70 cm
The Waldersauschen series, comprising Begegnung (Encounter), Liebestraum (Love Dream), and Erinnerung (Remembrance), captures the rich interplay between nature, emotion, and memory, as experienced within the serene backdrop of a whispering forest. Each piece reflects a different facet of the human condition, evoking profound connections between the natural world and the inner workings of the heart and mind.
In Begegnung (Encounter), the mystical and fleeting moments of discovery are captured as the swaying trees and soft murmurs of the forest mirror the emotions of an unexpected meeting. Nature here serves as a bridge between the physical and spiritual realms, much like Debussy’s evocative musical compositions, where layers of sound invoke deep introspection and connection.
Liebestraum (Love Dream), inspired by Liszt’s famous composition, explores the dreamlike quality of love. The painting blends the fluidity of the forest’s natural sounds with the ethereal nature of romantic longing. Through a delicate play of light and shadow, it captures both the tenderness and transience of love, reflecting the fragile balance between reality and dream.
Erinnerung (Remembrance) delves into the realm of memory, drawing on the nostalgic tones of nature. Here, the forest represents the past, with its rustling leaves symbolizing memories that resurface and fade over time. The piece reflects the bittersweet nature of recollection, where moments of joy are interwoven with the passing of time, much like the gradual fading of a familiar melody.
Together, these three works invite viewers into a meditative journey, where the forest serves as a metaphor for the cycles of life, love, and memory, while nature’s eternal rhythms echo our most intimate experiences.
Ode to the moon Oil
Acrylic on Canvas 50 x 70 cm
This painting is directly inspired by Antonín Dvořák’s piece of the same name. The moon, a central figure in this work, casts a silver glow over the landscape, echoing the lyrics: “Oh Moon, tell me, where does my beloved ?” The serene and luminous painting reflects the calm and reflective qualities of the music, while also capturing the romantic longing found in Dvořák’s composition.
It becomes sound
Acrylic on Canvas 150 x 200 cm
I created this painting based on the music of “Es wird klang”. It becomes Sound “The horn concerto” of Jörg Widmann was composed for Stefan Dohr, the principal horn player of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. On May 30 this year, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra premiered this horn concerto by Stefan Dohr, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle. The timbre of the horn is completely different from the timbre of the horns in the past, and is very avant-garde. The composer tells an original story.
No. 1 Celebration
Acrylic on Canvas 90 x 73 cm
German Oak
Acrylic on Canvas 150 x 200 cm
Aggregation and Fragmentation
Acrylic on Canvas 100 x 70 cm
Carnival No. 3
Acrylic on Canvas 80 x 80 cm
