A pioneer in the realm of media art, conceptual artist Les Levine was among the first to grasp the artistic and broadcasting possibilities inherent in television, becoming an early adopter of videotape technology. Defining his practice as a “media sculptor,” Levine incorporates diverse platforms into his works, such as radio, telephone dialogues, posters, and outdoor advertisements. His background includes studies at London’s Central School of Arts and Crafts, followed by a significant tenure in Canada throughout the 1960s and early 70s, which included an artist-in-residence post at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in 1973. He has maintained a residence in New York City since 1964.
Early in his career, Levine became synonymous with the concept of disposable art, gaining the moniker “Plastic man.” His 1966 exhibition, featuring thousands of vacuum-formed plastic reliefs priced between $3 and $6, served as a defiant, populist rejection of the traditional view that art must be an irreplaceable, luxury item. His 1970 piece, *Wiretap*—currently held by the National Gallery of Canada—features a dozen wall-mounted speakers broadcasting a loop of telephone calls harvested from his own home. By sharing a year’s worth of candid discussions regarding his creative processes, the installation was revolutionary for suggesting that the labor and discourse behind a piece of art are as significant as the finished work itself.
Reflecting the concerns of his contemporaries, Levine’s body of work frequently examines themes of societal consumption and value within North America. His extensive career is marked by more than 100 solo exhibitions and the creation of over 200 videos. Notable among his public interventions are his billboard campaigns in Minneapolis and Los Angeles during the early 1980s, which were launched following the success of a major project that displayed 4,000 images throughout the New York City subway infrastructure.
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