Levin Ifko
ARTIST BIO
Levin Ifko is an artist and writer whose work blends practices in textiles, photography, sculpture, and installation. His visual art is playful and intimate, often engaging with queer and trans storytelling, memory, and his fascination with objects and sensory perception. Gratefully from and based on Treaty 7 land in Calgary, Levin is heavily involved with the arts at a local and national scale. He received his BFA in Media Arts (2022) from AUArts, where he cultivated his interests in audio, video, and interactive art. Since then, he has worked to support the city’s arts scene through writing about local exhibitions, organizing art events and programming, as well as through his work as an arts administrator.
ABOUT THIS WORK
This series of photo-based textiles utilizes images taken during formative moments and fond memories while coming into my queer and trans identity. Drawing from my lived experience, the translucent photos include short phrases that were cut and then hand sewn back into the fabric. Using visible mending techniques such as darning and blanket stitching, this work aims to honour queer livelihood and pleasure by addressing the delicate and substantial ways that we care for the people we love.
we played by the river recalls formative moments in the artist’s life as a young queer and trans person spending time with friends on the riverside of The Bow. we tend to the flame nods both to the work and the warmth of being there for each other.
These photo-textile pieces were first presented in the exhibition Tender To The Flame (2024) in Esker Foundation’s Project Space. While they aim to highlight moments of belonging in a network of care, ultimately this work is about loving and being loved by queer friends, and trans chosen family.
