Viktoryia Dijk

In this episode, Belarusian-born multidisciplinary artist Viktoryia S. Dijk reflects on her journey in conversation with Kildine de Saint Hilaire. Viktoryia traces her path from early studies in Belarus to pursuing graphic design in The Hague, and more recently completing her MA in Fine Art at the Royal College of Art in London. She shares how her practice evolved from classical training in figure drawing towards large-scale, process-driven canvases that dissolve the human form into colour, energy, and presence. Her work combines layers of pigment, animal glue, and water, creating paintings that feel both anatomical and abstract, alive with their own inner force. She speaks candidly about navigating self-criticism, the liberating turning point she experienced at the RCA, and the ongoing question of when a work is truly finished. Viktoryia also discusses growing up in Belarus, the influence of her upbringing and family, and her deep connection to the London art scene, which she describes as a place of belonging and creative energy. For her, creativity is not only a practice but a way of living, a continual process of understanding oneself.