Eric-Paul Riege facts for kids

Eric-Paul Riege is a talented artist from Gallup, New Mexico. He was born in 1994 and is part of the Diné (Navajo) people. Eric-Paul creates amazing art using fibers, which means he works with materials like yarn and fabric. He also makes "installations," which are like art environments you can walk through. Plus, he does "performance art," where he uses his body as part of the artwork. Eric-Paul sees his art as a way to honor the many generations of weavers who came before him. He feels his work connects him to important ceremonies and traditions from his past, present, and future. He lives and works in Gallup, New Mexico.

Growing Up and Family

Eric-Paul Riege grew up in Gallup, New Mexico. His mother is Diné, and his father is Anglo. He was greatly inspired by his great-grandmother on his mother's side. She was a weaver and an activist from Arizona. She was affected by a program in the 1930s that reduced livestock for the Navajo people.

Eric-Paul learned how to sew from his mother. His father, who is from Ohio, worked as a hotel manager and was a veteran of the Air Force. The Navajo Times newspaper shared that Eric-Paul is from the Naaneesht'ézhi Táchii'nii clan (The Charcoal Streak Division of Red Running into the Water People). He was born for the Béésh bichʼahii clan (Metal Hat People-German).

Education and Learning

Eric-Paul Riege studied at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. In 2017, he earned a special degree called a BFA. This degree was in studio art and ecology. He also studied the Navajo language and linguistics.

Art Exhibitions and Shows

Eric-Paul Riege's art has been shown in many places. His work was featured at the SITElines 2018 Biennial in SITE Santa Fe, where he created a new piece. He has also shown his art at the Navajo Nation Museum in Window Rock, AZ. Another place his art has been seen is the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque, NM. His work was also part of the Prospect New Orleans Biennial and the Toronto Biennial in Canada.

Solo Exhibitions

In 2019, Eric-Paul had his own museum show at the ICA Miami. The show was called Hólǫ́—it xistz, which means "to exist." This exhibition included sculptures made from weaving, art you could wear, and long performances. A book was made about the show with writings by Szu-Han Ho. The names of his artworks and shows often reflect his interest in languages.

jaatłoh4Ye'iitsoh [3-4] (2020) at the National Gallery of Art in 2023

In 2020, the Heard Museum in Phoenix, AZ, asked him to create jaatłoh4Ye'iitsoh no. 1-6. This was for their show called Larger than Memory: Contemporary Art From Indigenous North America. In 2021, the DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum presented a special art piece and performance by Eric-Paul. He created this in response to a large sculpture by Jeffrey Gibson. Eric-Paul's performance was about the Diné/Navajo word Woshdee'!, which means "come in." He said this word is an invitation to anyone, whether a friend or a stranger.

In 2021, he had another solo show at the Bockley Gallery in Minneapolis. It was titled (my god, YE'ii [1-2]) (jaatłoh4Ye'iitsoh [1–6]) (a loom between Me+U, dah 'iistł'ǫ́) "earring for the big god". That same year, his work was part of a group show called Make-Shift-Future in Los Angeles. Also in 2021, Eric-Paul performed at the Montclair Art Museum. This was part of an exhibition about Navajo textiles.

His work was also featured in a big project called STTLMNT: An Indigenous Digital World Wide Occupation. This project promoted a digital space for Indigenous Peoples. It was created by Cannupa Hanska Luger and The Conscious Sisters in the UK.

For the 2022 Toronto Biennial of Art, he showed an installation called a home for Her. This artwork included many weavings and looms. He worked with the women weavers in his family to create it. Eric-Paul also presented Hólǫ́llUllUHIbI [duet] at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. These large sculptures hang from the ceiling. He calls them "totems of memory." They look like fancy jewelry or trees swaying in the wind. He has said that his performances teach him about how weaving connects to the human body.

Performance Art

Eric-Paul Riege's performances can last for several hours. He calls them "durational performances." He explains that he uses his body as a fiber. He interacts with looms, special clothing, and the art installation itself.

Awards and Recognition

In 2019, Eric-Paul Riege received a special award called a fellowship from the Art Matters Foundation. In 2021, he received a New Work Project Grant from the Harpo Foundation. This grant helped him create an installation for Prospect New Orleans.

Art Collections

Eric-Paul Riege's artwork is part of the permanent collections of several museums. These include the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, the Denver Art Museum, and the Montclair Art Museum. His work is also in the Tia Collection in Santa Fe.