As a life/art corporate-subversion project, the Bank of Victoria was officially opened in June 2001. CEO Victoria Stanton set up shop providing consultation and cheques to those in need. In June 2003, the BoV inaugurated its official website, www.bankofvictoria.com.
[Feature photo: courtesy esse magazine]
Photo: VS
Bank of Victoria
(Mar 2005)
Toronto Free Gallery, The Corporate World Exhibition, Toronto, ON
Initiating individual encounters, interactions lasted anywhere from 5 minutes to half hour in this piece that explored our expectations (ranging from what “art” is “supposed” to be to what we as children imagined ourselves becoming as adults), and our varied relationships to money. A taboo subject that was treaded lightly.
Photo: excerpt from original website
Bank of Victoria
(Apr-Jun 2003)
Espace Vox, Art Qui Fait Boum!, Triennial of Emerging Artists, Montreal, QC
By playing the role of CEO (and hence a position of supposed authority) I (de)posited a grey area between “real” world and “fictional” space while dealing with the concept of money as a point of departure into examinations of familial/societal expectations, perceptions of “choice,” and constructions of desire.
Photo: excerpt from original website
Bank of Victoria
(Sept 2001)
Alizé, during the launch of esse Magazine #43, Montreal, QC
In this first official appearance as the banker, it became clear that artists were dealing with similar struggles. While one conversation wouldn’t solve the financial problems of the person sitting across from me, I understood that creating spaces for discussion broke a certain degree of isolation around our common challenges.
Victoria Stanton 