Victor Solomon: Objects of Aspiration
Samuel Kaur
Victor Solomon didn’t set out to redefine the language of sports-inspired art, it happened almost by accident.
Originally a filmmaker, Victor Solomon grew frustrated with the slow, resource-heavy nature of cinema and sought a more immediate, hands-on form of expression. While living in San Francisco, he turned to stained glass, drawing from the city’s rich artisanal heritage. Firstly, what began as a personal experiment, reimagining a basketball backboard through this historic medium, quickly gained momentum online, leading to exhibitions from Art Basel in Miami to galleries in New York and Los Angeles.
Over the past decade, Solomon has evolved his practice into a distinctive fusion of sport, luxury, and narrative, most notably through sculptural trophies that transform athletic achievement into enduring cultural symbols.
IRK: You did filmmaking – was this initially a hobby, or has your current work taken over completely?
Victor Solomon: I transitioned away from filmmaking once I gained momentum. But I still get to scratch that itch through content creation, documenting my work. So filmmaking has come back into my life through that lens.
IRK: Do you have a Victor Solomon “bible”, a rule, a quote or a guiding principle when things get messy?
Victor Solomon: Good question. One thing I’ve enjoyed about my practice is that it isn’t tied to a single medium. I’ve built a platform where I can use whatever material or technique feels appropriate for a project, bringing in specialists when needed. I remember hearing an artist say something that stuck with me: whatever you’re building can be anything you want. That idea freed me from being tied to a specific aesthetic or material. At the core, I try to ensure there’s a narrative justification behind everything. It’s not about adding gold or luxury materials arbitrarily, it has to serve a purpose and tell a story.
IRK: How do you Victor Solomon, maintain your original vision when collaborating with big brands?
Victor Solomon: I’ve been fortunate. Most brands come to me for my perspective. Of course, they may want certain elements included, a logo, a color, but I’ve been given a lot of creative freedom. That’s one of the most special aspects of what I’ve built: people trust me to bring ideas to the table.
IRK: Was that always the case?
Victor Solomon: Interestingly, yes. My first partnership was with Nike. They asked me to create work for a project with Kevin Durant in San Francisco, and they encouraged me not to focus too much on branding elements. I’ve been lucky from the beginning, people have wanted me to “do my thing.”
IRK: What do you think is the most overhyped thing right now in art, fashion, or film?
Victor Solomon: I’ll answer positively. There’s an overwhelming amount of content today. Everything looks incredible, but what matters is whether there’s a real story underneath. The work that stands out has depth, something to engage with beyond the surface.
IRK: If you could go back in time, where would you go?
Victor Solomon: I’d go to the 1970s in the United States. It was a moment when creatives had more freedom, before corporate structures took over industries like film. It feels like a very expressive, empowering time.
IRK: If you could observe anyone for a day?
Victor Solomon: I’d choose Brian Eno, probably in the 1990s. He’s incredibly inspiring, very thoughtful, and articulate.
IRK: Do you have a book, song, or quote you return to?
Victor Solomon: It changes over time. Recently, I read a book about Cartier that I found fascinating. The brand’s history spans centuries, and many of its early innovations, like popularizing wristwatches, came from storytelling and understanding cultural influence. Even in the 1800s, they worked with what we’d now call “influencers.”
IRK: Any new mediums you want to explore?
Victor Solomon: I have ambitions to design more major trophies. I also just bought a house that I’ll be rebuilding completely, which will be a new creative challenge. I’d also like to return to filmmaking. With AI tools evolving, it might become easier to create without the same financial and logistical barriers.
Visit Victor’s portfolio here.
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Samuel is a Paris-based creative marketing student and writer. When he got bad grades in school or behaved badly, his parents punished him by making him read - maybe that's where it began. What felt like torture at the time has now turned out to be a great gift.
Two years ago, he moved to Paris for his fashion studies. Since then the urge to write has only grown stronger. When he's not working on articles, he writes mostly film scripts or poetry. Beyond writing, he has a deep-rooted passion for cinema and enjoys engaging in all forms of filmmaking.
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