March 21 – April 20, 2024
Opening Reception: Thursday, March 21, 7-9PM

Erin M. Riley in Conversation with Diedrick Brackens, moderated by Essence Harden: Thursday, March 21, 2024, 6-7 PM

(Beverly Hills, CA – March 7, 2024) – UTA Artist Space is pleased to announce The Invisible Third from artist Erin M. Riley, which delves into the concealed aspects of self, examining what individuals present to the world, what they see in themselves, and what they hide from and fear confronting. The artist’s meticulously hand-dyed and handloomed large-scale tapestries, depict intimate, erotic, and psychologically raw imagery that reflects upon relationships, memories, fantasies, sexual violence, and trauma. Collaging personal photographs, images sourced from the internet, newspaper clippings, and other ephemera to create her compositions, the Brooklyn-based weaver exposes the range of women’s lived experiences and how trauma weighs on the search for self-identity.

Informed by childhood experiences, Riley explores how coping mechanisms lead to patterns of dissociation, tracing a lineage of invisibility through familial structures marked by infidelity, loss, and abuse. Reflecting on fragmented familial relationships, she grapples with a sense of half-hearted belonging and the perpetuation of invisibility into adulthood. Themes of dysfunction within the home, linguistic isolation, and the enduring struggle for visibility permeate Riley’s narrative, culminating in a journey toward confronting fears and embracing the unknown through her artistic practice.

The self-portrait is a recurring motif in Riley’s works, which are primarily tapestries. The portraits serve as an exploration and affirmation of her identity, resilience, and relational experiences. Through various objects, imagery, and memories, she aims to convey narratives and dismantle the fear, shame, and insecurities associated with being a woman. While self-exposure is often blamed for violence, Riley strives to create a future where trauma doesn’t define us, emphasizing that safety shouldn’t rest solely on the vulnerable. By using her body in her art, Riley asserts her humanity and challenges viewers to confront their assumptions and narratives about those who assert themselves in this way.

The Invisible Third
by Erin M. Riley

Daddy deprivation
Competent at a cost
tending towards silence
I’ve become lifeless in my body.
Language institutes violence
Silence the only space for redemption
Why was I ever there.
Can you see me?

“Erin’s works offer a poignant exploration of identity, resilience, and the complexities of becoming graceful in the fear of the unknown. We are humbled to host this show and hope viewers are able to reflect on their own narratives and foster empathy in the face of uncertainty, which her works suggest” says UTA Artist Space director Zuzanna Ciolek.

The exhibition will open on Thursday, March 21 from 7 – 9 PM and will be on view through April 20th at the UTA Artist Space in Beverly Hills. Earlier that evening at 6 PM, Riley will be in conversation with artist Diedrick Brackens, with the talk moderated by curator Essence Harden, who previously curated the exhibition Sites of Memory at UTA Artist Space.

ABOUT ERIN M. RILEY

Erin M. Riley (b. 1985) received her BFA from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and an MFA from the Tyler School of Art. Her work has been included in solo and group exhibitions at P·P·O·W, New York; Galerie Julien Cadet, Paris; Kohn Gallery, Los Angeles; Henie Onstad Kunstsenter, Høvikodden; The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs; Gana Art Gallery, Seoul; among others. Riley is the recipient of a United States Artists Fellowship Grant, 2021 and an American Academy of Arts & Letters Art Purchase Prize, 2021 and has completed residencies at MacDowell Colony, New Hampshire and the Museum of Art and Design, New York. Her work was recently featured in 52 Artists: A Feminist Milestone at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, CT, manifesto of fragility, the 16th Lyon Biennale of Contemporary Art, and Kingdom of the Ill at Museion, Bolzano, Italy. Riley’s work is on view in The Myth of Normal at MassArt, Boston, MA, through May 2024. In 2024, she will present solo exhibitions at UTA Artist Space, Los Angeles, CA, and Cadet Capela, Paris, France.
erinmriley.com
@erinmriley

ABOUT UTA ARTIST SPACE AND FINE ARTS

Since the establishment of its flagship Beverly Hills location in 2018, UTA Artist Space has been committed to showcasing art by globally recognized talent. With the opening of a new Atlanta office and gallery in spring 2023, UTA Artist Space has expanded its impressive vision and reach across the United States. Over the past few years, the galleries have presented notable exhibitions with interdisciplinary artists, curators, and creatives, including The Estate of Ernie Barnes, Mandy El-Sayegh, Enrique Martínez Celaya, Essence Harden and Chloe Chiasson.

The UTA Fine Arts team functions as a link between the dynamic worlds of art, entertainment, and brands by connecting leading contemporary artists to opportunities across film, television, digital, licensing and branding. Such projects include the films of Titus Kaphar and Shirin Neshat. The team also engages with various departments across UTA to connect talent and brands to opportunities within the Fine Arts world.

UTA Artist Space, Atlanta is located at 1401 Peachtree Street and is open from 10am-5pm Tuesday through Friday and 11am-4pm on Saturday.
UTAArtistSpace.com
@utaartistspace

Image credit: Daddy in the Clouds, 2023. Courtesy of Erin M. Riley and P・P・O・W, New York. Photo: JSP Art Photography.

PRESS CONTACTS

Kyle Boulia
Kyle.Boulia@unitedtalent.com

Anthony Cordi
Anthony.Cordi@unitedtalent.com