Kiona Callihoo Ligtvoet
Kiona Callihoo Ligtvoet (she/her) is a multidisciplinary artist practicing in amiskwaciwâskahikan on Treaty 6 Territory. She grew up West of the city near the hamlet of Calahoo where she lived with her relatives on scrip land. Her family lines are Cree and Métis descending from Michel First Nation, as well as Dutch and mixed European.
Kiona works in painting, printmaking, and drawing, recollecting personal stories of grief and tenderness. Her practice uses a non-linear telling of her memories through narrative work as a form of diaristic archiving. It draws from feelings of loss and enfranchisement, but also from deep belly laughter, and a gentle fondness for where the histories between herself and her family overlap and disperse.
She’s recently exhibited work at Ociciwan Contemporary Art Centre (2021), Latitude 53 (2021, 2022), Khyber Centre for the Arts (2021), Harcourt House (2022), and Neutral Ground (2022). She co-curated the soil between plants with Making Space (2022), and What’s Held through TREX NW and the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie (2022). Additionally, Kiona was a recipient of the Lieutenant Governor Emerging Artist Award (2022), and just finished her debut graphic novel with Conundrum Press, titled We Were Younger Once (2022).
Working alongside other artists in initiatives of community care, Kiona co-organizes Making Space in partnership with Sanaa Humayun. Kiona likes visiting her moshom on the farm, and gossiping with her mom, relatives, and friends on the prairies :)
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Drawing by Kiona and her moshom, Ernie Callihoo (2007)
Contact Me
EDUCATION
2017- MacEwan University - Fine Art Diploma
2020- University of Alberta - Bachelor of Fine Art
GROUP/DUO EXHIBITIONS
2017- Landmarks, The Works Art and Design Festival (Edmonton, AB)
2019- ᐋᒋᒧᐃᐧᐣ Âcimowin, Coral Plaza (Edmonton, AB)
2019- Gently Used, Stollery Gallery (Edmonton, AB)
2020- Incidental Folds, SNAP Gallery (Edmonton, AB)
2021- sahkitok mistahi, Ociciwan Contemporary Art Centre (Edmonton, AB)
2021- Secrets Are Reparations for Microaggressions, Khyber Art Centre (Halifax, NS)
2022- the soil between plants, Latitude 53 (Edmonton, AB)
2022- Transitional Impressions, University of Calgary (Calgary, AB)
2022- Transitional Impressions, FAB Gallery, University of Alberta (Edmonton, AB)
2022- I’m remembering how tracks are made, Sakewewak, Neutral Ground (Regina, SK)
2022-2025- What’s Held, Art Gallery of Grand Prairie, TREX (Across Northern AB)
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2021- These Are the Things, Latitude 53 (Edmonton, AB)
2022- You’ll Always Know, Harcourt House (Edmonton, AB)
2023- And In Spring We’ll Wait for Lilacs, The New Gallery (Calgary, AB)
CURATORIAL
2021/2022- the soil between plants, co-curated with Sanaa Humayun, Latitude 53 (Edmonton, AB)
2021-2025- What’s Held, co-curated with Robin Lynch, Art Gallery of Grande Prairie, TREX, AFA Collection
RESIDENCIES/ COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
2020- Writing From Here, Latitude 53 and Mitchell Art Gallery (Edmonton, AB)
2020- Mentorship Exchange w/ Lan Florence Yee, Mitchell Art Gallery (Edmonton, AB)
2021- In Community Residency, SNAP Printshop and Gallery (Edmonton, AB)
2022- Visiting Artist Residency, St. Michael’s Printshop (St. Johns, Newfoundland)
2022- Art From Here, Latitude 53, Ociciwan Contemporary Art Centre, SNAP, and
Mitchell Art Gallery, w/ writing by Michelle Campos Castillo (Edmonton, AB)
2022- Considerations on Mapping, BlackFlash Expanded (Online)
2022- Book Launch for We Were Younger Once, Audrey’s Books (Edmonton, AB)
2023- Main Frame Digital Residency, The New Gallery (Calgary, AB)
PUBLICATIONS
2022- We Were Younger Once, debut graphic novel, Conundrum Press
GRANTS & AWARDS
2020- Creators’ Reserve- EAC
2021- Major Project Grant for Individuals and Collectives- EAC, for Making Space
2022- Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artist Award, Visual Arts