I think of my paintings as schmattas, the Yiddish term for rags, or beloved clothing worn to shreds, embedded with the history of their wearer. My works are highly labored self portraits, narrating my lived experience, but also address the art historical lineages which makes this practice possible.
Most recently, I have mined my family history in New York City. Each grandparent lived in a different borough and worked in industries dominated by Eastern European Jewish immigrants. My maternal grandmother's work in the garment industry has inspired a deep dive into the New York garment industry around the early-mid 20th century, shirtwaist textiles and home furnishings.
Humor is critical to my work, which I utilize in the form of material play. I use multiple techniques of applying acrylic paint to trick the viewer into believing that the works are textiles rather than paintings.
For more information, please visit
https://racheluffnergallery.com/artists/40-talia-levitt/
https://www.instagram.com/tallevitt/
Most recently, I have mined my family history in New York City. Each grandparent lived in a different borough and worked in industries dominated by Eastern European Jewish immigrants. My maternal grandmother's work in the garment industry has inspired a deep dive into the New York garment industry around the early-mid 20th century, shirtwaist textiles and home furnishings.
Humor is critical to my work, which I utilize in the form of material play. I use multiple techniques of applying acrylic paint to trick the viewer into believing that the works are textiles rather than paintings.
For more information, please visit
https://racheluffnergallery.com/artists/40-talia-levitt/
https://www.instagram.com/tallevitt/