Forest Coat

All his work abounds with references to the myths and ideals of past cultures. Jon Eric Riis creates a typical garment whose slightly flared silhouette, with wide sleeves, becomes a short coat, or jacket, which is not intended to be worn. The median opening of the garment makes it possible to discover a possible interior decoration. The artist is aware of the strong symbolism of the garment in different cultures and at all times. He plays with the hidden/revealed and highlights a play between inside and outside.

At the end of the 1960s, he began his work as an artist with textile creations created for exhibitions, private and public commissions. Riis himself weaves his tapestries by hand on a vertical loom (high heddle).

This almost obsessive need to be involved in the manufacturing process allows for an almost ascetic intellectual journey. Weaving becomes a real catharsis for Jon Eric Riis. He uses a cotton warp (almost 5 threads per cm), and also likes the interaction of silk and metallic threads. He often enhances his creations with embroidery, crystal beads or coral beads. He uses colour gradients to create precise and always surprising descriptions.