Eric Rhein is one of the artists represented at La MaMa's first ever Benefit Art Auction. Eric was also kind enough to answer 6 Questions for our blog:
1. How would you describe your work to someone who is not familiar with it ?
Weather through photography, sculpture, mixed media constructions, or wire drawings, my work reflects the temporality of life and the potential for transcendence. Nature is often used as a metaphor for the human condition, and worlds beyond the tangible.
2. Why is important to you to support nonprofit galleries?
Since childhood accompanying my father to the university art studios where he taught art education, art making has been a means of processing my life experience. Informed by the AIDS crises, this gift of creativity has been the key to my survival. Nonprofit spaces have been homes, and nurtured this connection to my sprit.
3. Who or what inspires you?
Inspiration comes from those who live their lives in quest of expanded consciousness, who are kind, and inclusive of alternative ways of being
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4. What do you do when you are not making work?
Currently much of my time is involved with archiving my AIDS memorial Leaves, which honors more then 200 people I knew who died though the course of AIDS. The writing of biographies for those included in the piece, many of which were fellow artist and cultural contributors, is a part of this.
5. What was your first experience with/at La MaMa?
I moved to New York City in 1980; graduating high school a half year early to create butterfly puppets for New York City Ballet, through an apprenticeship with the designer of Big Bird, Kermit Love. Kermit’s workshop was on Great Jones Street, and some sojourns with Kermit were to La Ma Ma for exposure to theater of an alternative nature.
6. Finish this sentence:
It’s not art unless it is a unique vision; a connection to the divine.
Eric Rhein, Spirit 1991
Eric's work, Spirit, is one of many works available at the La MaMa Benefit Art Auction. You can see and bid on all the works online and join us at the Closing Night Party for a drinks, entertainment and to bid live.
La MaMa Galleria presents
La MaMa
Benefit Art Auction
Saturday, May 3: 7pm to 10pm
LaMaMa Galleria
6 East First Street
(Between Bowery and Second Avenue)
New York, NY 10003
Cocktails & hor d’oeuvres catered by Veselka
Last Look Closing Party & Final Bidding
