“The artist’s influences are expansive. Mack’s oeuvre speaks to a reverence for culture (namely pop culture, music, and fashion) and an observational eye for minutiae. The exhibition at The American Academy of Arts and Letters is officially referencing a now closed fish restaurant in Harlem on 125th Street. The press release for the exhibition contains hyperlinks to an array of touchstones: Ha Ya by the Clark Sisters, Suzanne by Nina Simone, Isaac Mizrahi’s 1995 documentary Unzipped, the IMDb page for Ryan Coogler’s 2025 film Sinners. The seafood restaurant’s name references Matthew 4:19 and Mark 1:17: And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” Layered, associative, and eclectic the artist’s cultural touchstones are embedded into patchwork textiles alongside moving blankets and found fabrics, stitched and draped together like quilts.”
Peter Kelly (@p.ete.rk.ell.y ) on Eric N. Mack (@ernatmack ), whose stitched-together installations and paintings weave pop culture, fashion, and found materials into immersive, kinetic environments.
Photography by Phi Vu (@phivu.1 ) produced by Ojeras (@ojeras.pm )
It’s been a pleasure to share this artwork and watch it develop as the winds twist it and architecture of @artsandlettersnyc supports it. Nature will make the final mark. Cartouche, 2025 “Fishers Of Men” on view until February 8th. The first pic is from @__ningw__ .
Flight element series, 2025
Now on view @rockbundartmuseum in the exhibition in The Great Camouflage curated by the great @kandis_williams and @xzhunowell . Thank you to the excellent team @rockbundartmuseum the suite is made of 6 hammocks, each uses textiles sourced from research trips from Ghanaian kente meeting Chongming Island woven cotton and Locally sourced silks from Shanghai.
**Eric N. Mack on Fragility as Meaning**
Mack (@ernatmack ) considers fragility as a form of meaning-making, revealing the network of seen and unseen care that shapes how a work lives in the world.
🎧 Watch the full NewCrits Talk with Eric N. Mack and Ajay Kurian via the link in bio.
“I think the audience deserves a lot more than what we’re seeing.” — Eric N. Mack
Mack joins Ajay Kurian in our latest NewCrits Talk to discuss value, visibility, and what it means to make uncompromising work in contemporary art.
🎧 Watch, listen, or read via the link in bio.
It’s truly a joy to see an artist shine so bright. If you are in NYC go uptown now to see & experience the magic of Eric N. Mack’s sensational exhibition at the American Academy of Arts & Letters. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟@ernatmack@jennyjaskey
