Rad on the Rez

March 25th – May 13th, 2023
Project RoOM gallery

Exhibition Artist:

Levi Bent

Article Written by Levi Bent

Way̓ iʔ p isnqsílxʷ iskʷist qʷyqʷaʕayáx̌n. Hello my relatives my name is Levi Bent. I am a multidisciplinary artist from the Okanogan Valley. Kn sqilxʷ, kn syilx I’m an interior salish indigenous person. I’ve been creating art as long as I can remember and my first memories where being stoked on Saturday morning cartoons. Back in the day all those cartoons gave me a sense of direction for my own artistic expression. My art is kind of like caricature because I really like humor. It might even be considered cartoon but really my style is just my style. When I draw or create this is how it comes out kind of like a window to my soul.

I grew up on an Indian reservation in Washington state in a tiny little town called Malott. There’s not much going on in Malott but somehow, I learned about skateboarding, punk rock and other alternative consciousness that developed my personality. That’s why I titled my exhibition rad on the rez, I want to show the world that even though I grew up on the rez which is pretty much a concentration camp I can still be resilient and creative.

Long story short I grew up in alcoholism and fell into addictions until I was about 26 years old. In my early 20’s I didn’t skate or do much art so it was like the dark times for me. I left my home town and got sober in Penticton BC and started raising a family. At first it was hard to stay sober but I started learning my language and culture and I began to reinvent myself. I started doing more art and started skateboarding again! ♦