Many assume Lina Iris Viktor’s portraits are self-portraits because she uses herself as a model, but that’s not the case. According to Viktor, she doesn’t depict herself but rather a character. It’s easier for her to photograph herself in character than to use someone else. She embodies various figures, like the Libyan Sibyl, which gives her artistic freedom since no one knows how these characters should look. By modeling herself, she can perfectly capture the vision in her head, something another person could not achieve.
Photographing herself is part of her art’s performance aspect. She becomes the character, embodying their appearance as she envisions it. Mimicking facial expressions and posing are all parts of the performance. The final product is the aftermath; the performance itself disappears, leaving a photograph that becomes a portrait.