“A Day in the Life” with painter and sculptor Viktor Mitic

Viktor Mitic is a Canadian-Serbian painter and sculptor who is known for his use of live ammunition in paintings and installations. His bullet-ridden creations have provoked both acclaim and controversy. His canvas of John Lennon for instance, utilized the same gun-type that was used to assassinate the popular British singer and songwriter. Mitic’s works have incited widespread social debate from many sides of the political spectrum and the art world at large. Mitic has been exhibited across Canada and the USA and has published four books. He has a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the University of Toronto, and is currently residing in the city.

Viktor Mitic
Viktor Mitic setting up a crime scene
Viktor Mitic
Posing with my sculptures
Viktor Mitic
Working in the studio
Working on a 96 ft long mural in freezing cold
Viktor Mitic
Viktor Mitic repairing the bottom of the sculpture base that needed strengthening
Photographing the 12x26ft painting ( sketch of some new sculptural elements I just finished) from my roof top
Gold is Great
Viktor Mitic
Viktor Mitic loading the piece into the truck for delivery to a collector in Florida

What ‘hood are you in?

Right now, I’m living in the Junction area. I absolutely love how it has all the amenities of Toronto without too much of the congestion that you’d find closer to the downtown core.

What do you do?

Although I’m best known for using a controversial artistic approach, firing live ammunition at images I’ve painted of celebrities or iconic personalities in my Art or War series, I now use a more process-based ideation in my work. The sculptures I create are done in stages using a variety of materials, often welded together, then deconstructed and assembled after going through a computer imaging process whereby pieces were modified, re-assembled and welded, all using up-cycled materials.

What are you currently working on? 

Right now, my main focus is on making sculptures with the use of recycled and up cycled materials. My goal with these is to showcase the universal human connection we are all a part of, and if I can make a statement while doing so, even better.

Where can we find your work?

Many of my sculptures are featured at Oeno Gallery in Bloomfield, Ontario and Galerie d’Art Contemporain in Montreal, Quebec. The Beaverbrook art Gallery in New Brunswick, The Biggs Museum of American art in Delaware…

I also have sculptures featured at ARTISANworks in Rochester, New York and large sculptural piece is being showcased at the Marriott Hotel in Markham as we all as huge 12 x26 ft shot up painting g at the Remington Contemporary art gallery in the same town. My most recent work was acquired by a Rochester Ny Non for profit art organization and it is a 12 ftx12ftx3ft tall aluminum, steel and paint, non- representational sculpture titled Lyric Neutrino Start. Another 10 ft tall piece titled Purple Heart went to M2M Veranda, a high-tech building in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Online, my work can be found on my website and at Oeno Gallery site.

 

 

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Editor-In-Chief at Toronto Guardian. Photographer and Writer for Toronto Guardian and Joel Levy Photography