ABOUT ERIC ANTHONY BERDIS

My studio practice lifts up and mimics a queer cannon of artists on the fray of art history They are the not forgotten giants I’m lucky to stand on the shoulders of Their methods of making become my lexicon for symbols, gestures, and approaches to craft. Using personal secrets, queer history, and gay boy glamour, my work builds a world for my audience to enter.

In periods of instability, insecurity, and oppression, I, as a queer maker, continuously find ways to imagine and embody joy through my practice. Happiness and play, are not only sought after during difficult times but are arguably necessary components of survival. Quilting and fiber practices have a long history of leisure and making for pleasure For queer artists like myself, joy is an act of resilience a critical method of subverting hegemonic narratives of suffering In silliness and irreverence, I reflect on acts of violence, the AIDS crisis, and national moments of queer sorrow. Through childlike play, whimsical materials become a cast of characters that blur the line between ghosts, villains, and friends. These ghosts are not white cotton bedsheets we see at Halloween time They are quilted, weighted down with thrift store cast-offs, hobbyist craft supplies, and of course sequins

I invite you to enter this world I am building, sit and stay a while, or explore for only a moment.