Victor Ving is a Pasadena-based artist. Since 2014, he has created site-specific murals in cities across the US as part of his ongoing public art project, Greetings Tour, which draws from his former roots in graffiti. Inspired by lettering – specifically the large letter linen postcards that were ubiquitous in America in the 20th century – the project challenges perceptions about ownership and belonging. Through his accessible yet layered visual interpretations of names, Ving invites his audience to look deeper into the histories and heritage of each city, collaborating with locals to create opportunities for placemaking and strengthening communities through art.
Born and raised in Queen’s, New York, Ving was first exposed to graffiti (style writing) in his hometown. As a first generation Chinese-American who never quite fit in and couldn’t read or write in his native language, adopting a new name and identity through graffiti provided him a space for expression and exploration. He travelled around the world and became deeply involved in the style writing subculture, learning to identify artists based on their style of writing, and finding his own niche in the process. This is reflected in Ving’s continued interest in typography today.
In 2011, Ving leveraged his extensive network to open Klughaus Gallery in New York, aimed at showcasing and representing talented graffiti artists who had not followed the conventional route of a formal art education. The gallery exhibited work by renowned photographer Ricky Powell, muralist and calligrapher FAUST, and Japanese-American new media artist KATSU, among others. Klughaus eventually evolved into a mural agency, Mural Art & Consulting – among the first of its kind – in response to thriving demand.
The postcards that inspired Greetings Tour may have been popular decades ago, but are rare and sought-after today. As avid collectors of these postcards, Ving and his wife, photographer Lisa Beggs, have an in-depth knowledge of their historical and cultural significance. Ving’s contemporary, artistic take on this iconic design involves vibrant large-scale murals in the postcard format, featuring each city’s name in customized lettering.
True to the origins of picture postcards in both travel and photography, Ving and Beggs lived full-time in an RV for over five years – touring the country, leaving behind murals, and sparking an interest in public art. The imagery within the letters is unique to each location and is usually based on reference photographs by Beggs, which are carefully arranged within the hand-drawn letters after much deliberation and adjustment.
The process involves extensive, immersive research, often in collaboration with the local community. The artists stay in the city for a while prior to starting the project, interacting with residents and businesses to understand what they think best symbolizes their city; photographing and documenting the landmarks and topography; and then finalizing the concept. He often collaborates with local artists and incorporates ideas from the surroundings while painting. A single mural can take up to 6-8 weeks from conceptualization to completion, and over a week to paint.
Greetings Tour has created more than 50 murals in 25 states, as well as a following of devoted “collectors” who travel to visit them, making them landmarks in their own right. It provides Ving an opportunity to give back to the community through art that elicits a sense of pride and discovery, encourages interaction in the public space, and garners traffic for local businesses. The project has a timely relevance in a world that is becoming increasingly isolated physically, but more connected through shared experience. Each mural also represents continuity, as part of a nation-wide project as well as its historical connection to quintessential American souvenirs of travel.
Much like the original postcards produced by Curt Teich during the Great Depression and post-war years highlighted a bright, hopeful nation and documented its changing history, Ving and Greetings Tour create accessible public art that has a nostalgic appeal but is rooted in the present moment and optimistic for the future – and will endure as a legacy for communities to enjoy for years to come.
Ving has been interviewed by Forbes and Greetings Tour has been featured in numerous publications including Conde Nast Traveler, Elle Décor, Hypebeast and Vogue. He has collaborated with artists including Dave Persue, Jacques Fragua, Bradley S. Gordon and Rock ‘Cyfi’ Martinez, and created commissioned works for Art Collection at Bermuda’s Hamilton Princess & Beach Club (Bermuda), Bloomingdale’s (Santa Monica), Lululemon (Toronto), Abercrombie (Columbus), Ralph Lauren x Vogue (New Yok), CBRE (Pasadena Towers), Golden History Museum (Colorado), as well as the cities of Oxford, MS, East Lansing, MI and Springfield, OH. Ving aims to create at least one of his landmark murals in all 50 states in America.
