Here at Slowdown Studio we love collaborating with emerging and established artists from across the globe. We recently had the opportunity to chat with Eric Reh, the artist behind the new Yukimi Throw. Eric is an artist who lives and works in Berlin and Esslingen using materials like wood, metal, paper, fabric or clay. He's inspired by nature and children's drawings (especially the ones by his little daughter).
1. Who do you think is the most exciting emerging creative in your city? (can be music, art, anything)
The most exciting emerging creative for me is my little daughter (almost 4 years old). At least she is the one which inspires me the most since she is enriching my life. I am fascinated by her way to draw, to discover her environment, the way she plays and build things. Especially when we do things together – like creating drawings or other artworks, playing, make up stories or just being outside somewhere in the garden or the forest.
Of course there are also a lot of exciting artists I know but at the moment nobody inspires me more than my daughter.
Drawing by Eric's daughter Faja Ari
2. Where are your favourite places to go in your city?
Most of my time I was living in Berlin during the last 14 years. One of my studios is still there, but I am spending most of my time which my family in Esslingen and the area around Stuttgart since a while.
My favorite place in Esslingen is definitely our garden. It's so quite, green and peaceful there. I love all the animals and plants around there and the good air.
In Berlin there are several places I really like – one of them is my studio. Another one is my friend Max's place, where we also used to live before. It has a huge beautiful balcony with dozens of flowers and plants and it's like an island in this huge hectic city. And I love spending time with Max in general, but also with my other friends – doesn't matter that much which places we go. :-)
3. What advice would you give to a younger version of yourself when you were starting out in art?
Learn another profession before studying art, so you'll be payed better when you have to job during your studies and after that. Most people I know including myself can't make a good living only from working in the art sector, so it's good to have another opportunity to save your income.
Beside this pragmatic advice there's some things which has helped me developing my artistic practice a lot:
Don't be afraid!
From my own experience and from the experience as a teacher at art school I know there's something called "fear of the plain paper" which means some kind of fear of the unsatisfactory outcome before you start. It's necessary to internalize that there is not "bad outcome" at all. Every outcome even if it is not the way you imagined it before you started is a necessary step within your creative process. It leads you to get closer to your idea or could also show other ways to get to even better results and give you new ideas, you may use at another point.
"Failing" is progression – and this not only helps your creative development.
Don't be afraid to try out (new) things – trying out, "failing" means gaining knowledge, getting closer to your goals or letting you question your earlier goals, discard them and develop new goals.
4. What are you listening to in your studio at the moment?
Most of the time I am listening to podcasts on political issuers, history or sometimes true crime (guilty pleasure I guess) or music – mostly italo disco tracks from back in the days – their tempo, rhythm and power often fit my workflow when I'm working my artworks.
When I'm doing desk work – illustration, drawing, type stuff I am listening to rap music (like A$AP Rocky, J. Cole or Madlib for example). But I also have phases where I am strictly listening to punk rock – mostly German bands related to Jens Rachut, who's has been inspiring me a lot in the past – I am in love with the kind of weird poetics of his lyrics and also he as a person inspires me. There's also some bands from my teenage punk days I am still listening to from time to time like Knochenfabrik, Egotronic, the Dead Kennedys and some Oi Punk Bands.
Punk and D.I.Y. culture has been a big influence in my life in general to me.
Yukimi Throw by Eric Reh
5. What inspired your design for this latest blanket design?
When I was working on that design I was living at the countryside close to Berlin with my family for about a year.
I have been taking a lot of walks through the landscape surrounding us collecting impressions and pieces of wood to use them for my new kind of artworks, developing my artistic practice. It was also the first time since my childhood days that I have had an own garden to plant vegetables and fruits, care for them and watch the grow. Beside that I was watching my kid growing and discover the new surroundings with her.
I guess all that inspired the drawings and artworks during these days – including my design for the blanket – and was a huge influence how my life has developed since then.
6. What's your favorite way to slow down?
Taking long walks in the forest alone.
Working in the garden, planting, building stuff out of wood with no time pressure. Chopping wood. Running for a least 45 minutes, better 1 hour or more.
Playing with my kid and forget what "needs to be done" during that.
7. What's the most memorable book you've read in the last few years?
I really love the stories and drawing by Janosch, one of my favorites is "Das Regenauto" (not sure if there's an English translation). He's a big inspiration.
"The Little Price" by Antoine Saint- Exupéry" is also one of my favorites.
Beside these I enjoyed reading "Faserland" and "Eurotrash" by Christian Kracht and a couple of books by austrian writer Robert Seethaler.
8. What has been the happiest/most rewarding moment of your art career?
One of the most exiting and rewarding moments, more like a period during my art career was spending some time in Israel during my studies.
It was the first time traveling out of Europe before for me and living at a place (Jerusalem) which was so much different that every place I knew before.
I have learned a lot during this time – not only regarding my creative process but also regarding my personal development, my character and my identity (also connected to my family background).
9. How does living in your city influence your work? Is there anything about your city that has defined how or what you create?
As I have been living in several cities during my artistic career I think every city has had its own influence on my practice. In Berlin for example there are countless opportunities to watch the outcome of other artists and creatives through exhibitions and events and also a lot of opportunities of funding and collaborating which has had an remarkable impact on my work.
Studying in Offenbach during my diploma for example gave me important possibilities like a studio space, several workshops and impact from other students and teachers which have been also very important for my personal and artistic development.
The influences I got from living more like at the countryside have been described above already.
I am convinced you could gain inspiration out of everyplace you live at by trying to regard it in a open and gracious way.
10. What are you most excited/looking forward to this year?
The most exciting thing I am looking forward this year is the birth of my second child, which will be very soon.
I am super excited about that. :-)
Eric Reh exhibition at Backhaus Projects.
Instagram: @eric.reh
Website: https://ericreh.de/en
