Erik Bergrin Conjures With Fibre
The 8 Dissolutions by Erik Bergrin
Meet ERIK BERGRIN, fibre artist and costume /clothing designer based in New York City and featured in the FUTURO edition. His journey through art is personal and profound. Here’s a bite size conversation about his work.
Can you talk about your process, a day in your life?
Research, draw, research, draw, then do tests, make, draw, remake, draw, remake, do more tests, make, draw, remake. I obsessively go between the four of these until the thing I am doing is complete. Adding the gym and meal breaks into that pretty much sums up my process in the middle of a project.
Spirit Body@ErikBergrin
What fires your passion for materials?
I am a craftsman at heart. It would hurt me more to have my craft insulted than my design or concepts. Because of this, I am always interested in new materials and doing things I've never seen before. I also really love it when you can see the hand in work. This usually leans more towards the organic, which is why I wanted to grow and create many of the materials myself for projects I've done in the past.
Spirit Body@ErikBergrin
What is the inspiration behind your clothing line SpiritBody?
My last project, The 8 Dissolutions, had a lot of elements to it. The concept, the materials, the mudras, the butoh dancer, the video, the dresses that hung behind the sculptures, etc. I wanted to communicate all this in an easier-to-digest form. I always wanted to do a collection, and essentially, I did for that project. Still, I wanted to do something more commercial that could reach more people and bring a profit, but also communicate ideas to people who don't have an interest in pondering about art or visiting museums.
Spirit Body@ErikBergrin
What excites you about the future?
I like thinking about this because it's like a pep talk to myself— future projects, for sure. Traveling to more places. When I’m in risky situations I often think things like, “Oh, it's not your time to die yet; you haven't even been to Iceland.” or “This plane won't crash because you still haven't visited Mongolia.” Doing things I've never done.
Spirit Body@ErikBergrin
What's the best advice you've ever been given?
I remember being at the beach with my best friend Andrew and talking about being worried about a project, things like “I don't know where it's going to end up or if it's just a waste, or whatever…” and he said to me. “It's okay to think about those things, but don't let that touch the work. Keep the work out of those thoughts. The minute that touches the work, it becomes tainted." These are words I live by.
Also, I really loved it when Sokuzan Bob, a Zen priest said "Don't ever give advice… Unless you are directly asked." Which I was shocked when I heard but I really appreciate now.
And the worst advice you’ve been given:
"Here, drink this ayahuasca."
Spirit Body@ErikBergrin
What motto do you live by?
"Anger is the response when attachment doesn't get what it wants." Venerable Robina Courtin
CREDITS FOR The SPIRIT BODY SHOOT FOR LAB ARTS
Photos by Jaesa Acton
Makeup - Andrew D'Angelo
Hair- Mike Potter
Models: Lydia Varcoe- Wolfson
Maahleek
A conversation between Erik and makeup artist Alex Box can be found in FUTURO.
very laboratory