Victoria Moreno is a
driven Koryo-saram Filipina Visual Artist, born and raised in Zambia, currently based in Toronto, Canada, specializing in Digital and Film Photography, Illustration, and Conceptual Art.
Being born and raised in Zambia to a Filipino Father and a Koryo-saram Mother, the aspect of cultural identity has always been a prevalent theme throughout my life. With the wide mix of intermingling diasporas present in Zambia, our communities are often built of people with diverse cultural backgrounds, ranging from basically all corners of the world, including Uzbekistan, Philippines, Italy, Canada and many more.
I was very grateful to be surrounded by this multitude of cultural influences because although I could never properly identify with any singular cultural standard, this experience taught me how to be more open-minded and find connections amongst anyone I meet.
Throughout my Visual Art journey, I found my artistic interests to be as diverse as my cultural background. Starting primarily with being an Illustrator, I fell in love with Photography and Art History when pursuing my BFA, and then Graphic design, Videography, and Installation Art upon graduating.
My work often explores the idea of culture and its effect on identity and society. Toronto is a place marketed as a multicultural city, but if asked by those from here, most say, that although there are a variety of cultures present, it’s more of a cultural mosaic. There isn’t much action being taken toward trying to understand each other beyond their immediate communities, and thus not many connections are formed. However, it is usually through food where you see that first step being taken towards understanding another culture, as it speaks directly to something sincere within all of us, the Body and the Soul. No words are needed.
One of the most famous dishes that came out of the Koryo-saram culture was Markovcha, now you can find that beloved salad almost anywhere within every former Soviet diaspora, connecting many from different countries and ethnic backgrounds under one dish. I believe Art does the same. It speaks directly to and from the source of life itself. Humans were designed to be social creatures with feelings and conscious awareness to seek and find connectivity through shared stories and experiences.
With conditions, such as COVID-19, that kept us apart, this left and still leaves many feeling further alienated and distant from each other. With my work, I intend to explore and highlight a sense of cultural connectivity and representation through my own cultural experiences.
