Spotlight on.. FINN YVO
Finn Yvo is a queer trans artist and arts facilitator. They live and work in Hackney, London. They use drawing, painting and illustration as a way of exploring their own queerness as well as to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.
They design and illustrate regular posters for queer club nights across London, drawing portraits of Queer Performers and DJ’s.
In 2021 they started Queer Art Club London, an inclusive queer art club where they facilitate art workshops for LGBTQ+ people.
They also created the poster and map for Margate Pride 2022. And were the first residency Artist of the Brink Open Call in the same year.
We spoke to them as applications come in for our 2024 Brink Open Call.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT your experience of brink 2022?
Brink was a really fun creative space in which I was able to collaborate with others and work independently on my art. I met some wonderful people during the residency and really enjoyed experimenting and trying out new ways of making work.
were there any particular challenges or joys throughout the residency?
The greatest joy was getting to know others on the residency and building those relationships alongside making art.
in your work, you use bright colours and cartoon style illustrations – how did you find your style?
I want to work in a way that feels playful and is representative and celebratory of queer joy, whilst also commenting on the difficulties and more serious issues face by our community. I want to speak about both in my work and to make work that allows for both pain and joy to exist alongside one another as I believe they do in life.
what have you been up to since your brink residency?
I have been working as an arts facilitator, I founded @queerartclublondon which is an art club where people can come and take part in different workshops in drawing,
painting, printmaking and sculpture. I have also recently completed a residency at The British Museum where I facilitated a collaboration between a group of LGBTQ+ artists across different generations this was in dialogue with the current Michelangelo exhibition and culminated in a large scale drawing titled ‘Bodies are Sacred’ celebrating the queer body. I have also been working on illustrations for club night posters, created a large scale mural for Trans Day or Remembrance and am currently working on a series of drawings exploring queerness and intimacy.
where does your work take you next?
I’m hoping to continue using my work both as an artist and arts facilitator as a means of opening up conversations and bringing people together.
what advice would you give to 2024 applicants and this years successful resident?
Ahhh I’m not so into giving advice… but if I have to I would say, be true to yourself.
AND ON MARGATE – WHAT WOULD BE YOUR IDEAL MARGATE DAY?
Sunshine, Ice cream, a swim in the sea, sand in my hair, lots of friends, Dinner at Dory’s.
To find out more about Finn, you can visit their website www.finnyvo.com
Find them on Instagram @finnyvodraws and @queerartclublondon