Sound and surface with Eric Winkler

Straddling the worlds of art, interior design and fashion, Eric Winkler’s colourful works are inspired by Berlin club culture. His preferred mediums are fabrics and tiles, which he uses to create clothing and installations in people’s homes. For the SLEEK exhibition “Untitled (Matchstick)”, Winkler presents a vast work featuring painted and glazed tiles inspired by the rhythm of electronic music. It simulates longitudinal sound waves and is intended to be shown on a wall, just like a painting.

Tell us more about your project for the SLEEK exhibition.

I am installing a work that I made free from any commissions. I started working on it during lockdown. It’s a big wall piece composed of tiles, which I produced at Zahna Fliesen and glazed after an idea that was inspired by the rhythm of fast electronic music. I could imagine it being installed in a public space for music, dance and cultural exchange with a pattern of horizontal lines, simulating sound waves or a cardiogram, with a flickering visual effect. The purpose is to give viewers some space of interpretation, nurture their imagination and take them on a visual trip.

How do issues surrounding sustainability affect your work?

To me sustainability is a mindset. I am very aware of how much material I use and buy. It is important to create things that are really necessary and don’t end up in storage or never reach the audience. For example, when it comes to my textile works, I never produce more than what I can sell. I am also not destroying works or throwing them away. When a piece sits in my studio for too long, I usually enjoy reworking it. I focus on producing locally and in small batches. I want to make sure I have a sustainable way of using my creativity and energy in this process. When possible, distribution of my works in the city is usually done by bike.

And what about your background? How does that influence you?

As a teenager I used to spend time around the anarcho-punk scene, and I was fuelled by ideas around civil disobedience. Later, I had a career in graffiti before studying arts. In the meantime, I became very interested in music and club culture and what this scene stands for. The club scene here in Berlin in the Nineties/Aughts to me reflected spaces without hierarchies or social classes. They were safe environments where I was able to unlearn parts of my socialization and opened me up to new ways of thinking.

What inspires you the most?

DJs. Lately I feel they are the better contemporary artists. It’s amazing how they engage directly with the dancing audience, and the respect shown to them. It was so inspiring to see how, during lockdown, DJs generously took care of the public and fueled us with new music and mixes. When drawing and glazing in my studio I try to channel their energy and translate rhythm and sound into forms and patterns.

What are your favourite materials to work with? How has your artistic process changed over time?

My most beloved materials are textiles and tiles – as well as the needs and feedback of my audience. What changed in my art practice is my approach in terms of mediums. When I was in high school I used to play with photography, which then transitioned to graffiti. Later, when I studied art, I only extracted the conceptual side of everything I was doing already, focusing more on how to translate a story visually, and ultimately trying to fit in the art scene. Luckily after studying I got over it, because I realised there’s no need to fit the standards or the rules of how to present or distribute your work. I gave up on conforming. It didn’t fuel my creative energy at all. On the contrary it diminishes my character as an artist. I think the way you produce your art should reflect your values and what you stand for. Having affordable prices, being available for the scene, which I’m happy to be a part of and where I find inspiration, is important to me. It’s thrilling to see a variety of my pieces worn on the street or at the club.

What has been a pivotal experience in your career?

When I first sold T-shirts that I made on the street or at laundrettes that I turned into some kind of personal flagship store. This was how I started developing a wider audience for my work. It was a very pivotal experience that drove my approach in the right direction. To me, it resembles how certain artists distribute their music and engage so directly with their public.

What would you like to change about the art world?

It’s getting better in recent years, but I would say promoting and making space for more diverse artists from all backgrounds is the way forward. There is a lot of privilege and gatekeeping in this scene, and I would like to see these structures taken down, as well as allowing for new artists to emerge and flourish and not be stifled because of their gender, the colour of their skin or their social/economic background.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Go for it! Try it out! Fuck it, no rules!

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SLEEK and UGG unveil an unique exhibition focusing on the environment, social sustainability, and power structures.