Ryan O'Lewis

Ryan O’Lewis (he/him) is a queer, (dis)abled, Canadian artist currently residing on the unceded traditional territories of the T’Sou-ke and Scian’new Nations. His art practice explores queerness, masculinity, (dis)ability, mental health and Slavic ancestry. Ryan’s mediums are expansive as he aims to push the boundaries of traditional, two-dimensional media into the realm of sculpture.

As a queer man I didn’t have the opportunity of an older generation to guide and mentor me due to the impact of the AIDS epidemic. I grew up without a template of what it looks like to get older, have a relationship and build a home as a queer person. As I search my own Slavic ancestry for hints and clues of queerness, none are found either.

My research in pre-Christian Slavic historiesfocus on how the art of embroidery was passed down through lineages. Women would stitch specific talismans into cloth to spiritually access their magic. The *meandering line* in Slavic embroidery is used to provide powerful protection against negative forces; evil that may attempt to harm someone will get trapped forever in the complex circuit of stitchwork.

Building a Home reconnects the artist to erased histories by engaging in making an exaggerated rug for his future home with his lover. The artist collaborates with anonymous past histories using cut up second-hand clothes. The piece itself was created together with the artist’s lover, weaving their spiritual queer magic into the pattern to protect them from future harm while they navigate getting older leaving traces of evidence behind.