Eric Rieger, a.k.a. HOT TEA, is a public installation artist from Minneapolis, Minnesota who creates work of a playful, graphic and ephemeral nature. He typically utilizes a single medium his work – yarn – not only because of the intrinsic cultural value of yarn, but also because of the range and flexibility that this unique material gives him as an artist. HOT TEA is creating work for this exhibition as part of a Residency at BAF Studio, which lasts the month of July.

Artist Statement:
Because of the non-destructive nature of my medium, I am able to work very freely without typical concerns like permanence, weight, scale, or property damage. This approach opens many doors and has seemingly limitless possibilities. For my Residency in Vancouver, my goal is to build upon my previous body of work and create new work that helps progress my techniques as well as the concepts behind my work.

I am well known for the work I do outside in the streets, and I will be creating pieces for this show that draw influence from those public installations. However a major part of my current art practice involves indoor spatial installations as well. One of the most valuable aspects of this work is the intimate viewer interaction, and for the BAF Studio 2014 Summer Residency Exhibition, I will be creating an indoor installation that experiments with new methods and involves new ideas that will make the work even more interactive for the viewer. Consisting of over 3000 individual strands of yarn, all measured, cut and knotted by hand, this elaborate installation will be entitled Secret Garden – it will be a bold and immersive experience for the viewer.