Erik Deerly is a visual and sound artist, exhibiting across the Americas and in Asia and Europe. His work focuses on the exploration of synesthetic experiences and is driven by interests in perception, cognition, time, and movement. Erik’s range of work includes audio, film, and installation. Awards include a New Frontiers of Creativity Grant, multiple film festival honors, a South by Southwest Interactive prize, a Lumen Prize selection, and an Aesthetica Art Prize. Erik is a professor of new media and the Department Head of Visual Arts at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He is the founder and Managing Editor of Burningword Literary Journal.
Recent or forthcoming exhibitions, screenings, and performances include El Ojo Iluso 2024, Festival de Cine de Animación, San Cristóbal, Venezuela; 2023 International Electroacoustic Music Exhibition, MUSLAB, Guayaquil, Ecuador; and VideoMedeja International Video Festival 27, in Novi Sad, Serbia. His most recent sound art album, A Sense of Place, was released in 2022 by Arpaviva Recordings, a non-profit new music and media company in the US and France.
Solo Exhibitions & Screenings
2021—Erik Deerly: Apophenia, Indiana University Kokomo Downtown Gallery, Kokomo, IN
2019—Erik Deerly: Exo Resonance, Indiana University Kokomo Downtown Gallery, Kokomo, IN
2018—Dysmorphia: Erik Deerly Exhibition, International Solo Exhibition, CICA Museum, South Korea
2014—Terminal Physical Space, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN
2012—Art of Remembrance, Gallery@AUP, Greenfield, IN
2007—All About Time, La Lumiere School, LaPorte, IN
Selected Group Exhibitions & Screenings
2024
—NewFilmmakers NY / YoungFilmmakers / AltFest, New York, NY
—The Age of Artifice, 103 Gallery, Bucknell University / Laird Norton Gallery, Winona State University
—Chroma Art Film Festival, Superblue Miami, Miami, FL
—El Ojo Iluso 2024, Festival de Cine de Animación, San Cristóbal, Venezuela
—Vision and Expression, PH21 Gallery, Barcelona, Spain (juror: Zsolt Bátori)
2023
—VIDEOMEDEJA International New Media Arts Festival 27, Novi Sad, Serbia
—2023 International Electroacoustic Music Exhibition, MUSLAB, Guayaquil, Ecuador
—Experimental Film & Video 2023, CICA Museum, South Korea
2022
—Electronic Music Midwest, Lewis University, Romeoville, IL
—Perspectives 2022, International Juried Exhibition, CICA Museum, South Korea
2021
—Audiovisual Frontiers, The Department of Music at UC Riverside, in Riverside, CA
—Seoul International Computer Music Festival 2021, Platform-L Contemporary Art Center, Seoul, South Korea
—VIDEOMEDEJA International Video Festival 25, Novi Sad, Serbia
—REF—Resilience Festival 2021, MID SIDE Associazione di promozione sociale, Foggia, Italy
—Maracay International Film & Video Festival, Maracay, Venezuela
—Perspectives 2021, International Juried Exhibition, CICA Museum, South Korea
—Blacksphere Live Film Festival, Juried International Screening, Blacksphere, Czech Republic
2020
—Aesthetica Art Prize Exhibition 2020, York Art Gallery, York, United Kingdom
—Crisis Mode, Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, Santa Ana, CA
—American Pie, Freyberger Gallery Exhibitions, Penn State Berks, Reading, PA
—Fl3tch3r Exhibit: Social & Politically Engaged Art, Reece Museum, East Tennessee State University
2019
—Cyber Sanctuaries Pavilion, The Wrong Biennale, International, online, and various locations
—No Image 2019, International Juried Exhibition, CICA Museum, South Korea
—Glitch, Curated International Photography Exhibition, PH21 Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
—Glitches and Defects, Millepiani Exhibition Space, Rome, Italy
—Magmart International Videoart Festival XI, Casoria Contemporary Art Museum, Naples, Italy
2018
—Mobile, International Juried Exhibition, PH21 Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
—HOME: Absence or Essence, International Juried Exhibition, Specto Art Space, Bridgewater, Virginia
2017
—Mobile Only, International Juried Exhibition, PH21 Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
—Summer Exhibition, Juried International Showcase, The Concept Space—Bermondsey, London, United Kingdom
—Objectified, International Juried Exhibition, CICA Museum, South Korea
—Dog and Pony Show, CORE New Art Space, Denver, CO
2016
—Abstract Mind, International Exhibition on Abstract Art, CICA Museum, South Korea
—tXtMe, Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, Santa Ana, CA
—A4 O2O Project: Instruction-based Art, CICA Museum, South Korea
—Union Street Gallery Grand Opening, Indiana University Kokomo Union Street Gallery, Kokomo, IN
—Up Next, 1st National Juried Exhibition, NEXT Gallery, Denver, CO
—5th Annual Juried Exhibit, JF Gallery, West Palm Beach, FL
2015
—Generations, 40 Hues Between Black & White, Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, Santa Ana, CA
—Unexpected, International Juried Exhibition, PH21 Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
—CONCEIVE, A Group Exhibition, the HUD Gallery, Ventura, CA
—Providence Art Club 2015 Nationwide All Media Open Juried Exhibition, Providence, RI
—Biennial National Juried Exhibition, Art Students League of Denver, Denver CO
2014
—Annual Juried Exhibit, Delaplaine Visual Arts Center Frederick MD
—The Video Show — 3rd International Juried Exhibition of Video and Media Installation, North Branch, NJ
—Providence Art Club 2014 Nationwide All Media Open Juried Exhibition, Providence, RI
2013
—Small Works – Big Talent, Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
—6th Annual Juried Show, Sylvia White Gallery, Ventura, CA
—EXPOSURE, See Exhibition Space, Long Island City, NY
—Figurative Art Exhibition, The Light Space & Time Virtual Gallery
—Irvington Presents, Bona Thompson Memorial Center, Indianapolis, IN
2012
—Annual Juried Exhibit, Delaplaine Visual Arts Center Frederick MD
—Los Angeles Center for Digital Art, Los Angeles, CA
—Small Works NYC: A Juried Exhibition, Jeffrey Leder Gallery, New York, NY
2011
—Whitewater Juried Art Exhibit, Indiana University East, Richmond, IN
2008
—Breaking Away, Gallery 37 Center for the Arts – CenterSpace, Chicago, IL
2006
—Image Unit, Hot House, Chicago, IL
2005
—Morph-olio, Metal Works Gallery, Chicago, IL
Awards/Grants
2024—Finalist, New Filmmakers New York, for Via Onda Corta, New York, NY
2021—Semi-finalist, International Music Video Awards, for Entropy, London, United Kingdom
2021—Winner/Outstanding Achievement in Music Video category for Wandering Mind’s Woods, L’Age d’Or International Arthouse Film Festival, Kolkata, India
2021—Semifinalist, International Music Video Awards, for Wandering Mind’s Woods, London, United Kingdom
2021—Best Animation Short Film; Special Mention Original Score Short Film for Apophenia, Five Continents International Film Festival, Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela
2021—Winner in Web/New Media category for Apophenia, L’Age d’Or International Arthouse Film Festival, Kolkata, India
2021—Finalist, International Music Video Awards, Shortlisted for Apophenia, London, United Kingdom
2021—Best Film Score – Soundtrack, winner for Apophenia, L’Age d’Or International Arthouse Film Festival, Kolkata, India
2021—Winner in Web/New Media category for Apophenia, Beyond Earth Film Festival, Chennai, India
2021—Best Film Score, Cult Critic Movie Awards, winner for Apophenia, Kolkata, India
2020—Aesthetica Art Prize: Top Eighteen, Shortlisted for Dysmorphia, York, United Kingdom
2017—Juror’s Choice Award, Mobile Only, PH21 Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
2016—New Frontiers of Creativity and Scholarship Grant, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
2016—The Lumen Prize, Long-Listed for Mutations: Interactive Web Art, Wales, United Kingdom
2015—Art Students League of Denver Biennial National Juried Exhibition, Merit Award, Denver, CO
2013—Graphic Design USA, American Graphic Design Award, New York, NY
2011—Whitewater Art Exhibit, Top Ten Merit Award, Indiana University East, Richmond, IN
2002—SXSW (South by Southwest), First place National Interactive Design Awards, Austin TX
2000—The Webby Awards nominee
1993—Print Regional Design Annual, Midwest winner
1992—Print Regional Design Annual, Midwest winner
1988—The Addy Awards, print advertising winner, Chicago, IL
1989—The Addy Awards, print advertising winner, Chicago, IL
Audio/Video Publications
Various. Planeta Complejo. (DVD compilation). Mexico City: MUSLAB / Cero Records. 2024
Deerly, Erik. Apophenia. (Streaming distribution). Chicago: Bridge Art NFP. 2023
Deerly, Erik. A Sense of Place. (Streaming distribution). Paris: Arpaviva Recordings. 2022
Deerly, Erik. Joshua Tree. (CD). Berkeley: Émigré Records. 2002
Deerly, Erik / Itchy Pet. (CD). Berkeley: Émigré Records. 1998
Bibliography (Reviews/Articles/Catalogs/Interviews)
Print Media
Future Now 2020: 100 Contemporary Artists from the Aesthetica Art Prize, Aesthetica Magazine, York, UK (2020): 146-147.
“Aesthetica Art Prize 2020.” Aesthetica Magazine, (2020): 127-130.
CICA Art Now 2019, CICA Press, Gimpo-si, South Korea (2019): 18-21.
“Distinguished Artist.” ArtAscent Art & Literature Journal. 16 (2015): 36-41.
Anderson, Stephen. Generations: 40 Hues Between Black & White. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (2015): 24-25.
“Distinguished Artist.” ArtAscent Art & Literature Journal. 8 (2014): 62-65.
“2012 One Life Catalog.” New York: Photo District News, 2012.
Connor, Michael. “SXSW 2002 Web Awards, and the Winners Are.” Austin Chronicle 2002, sec Vol. 21, No. 28: 63.
Rudy Vanderlans, Zuzana Licko. Emigre: Graphic Design Into the Digital Realm. 1994. 83-86.
Rothschild, David. “Home Front.” Chicago Tribune 1993. 62.
Rothschild, David. “Home Front.” Chicago Tribune 1992, sec A&E: 81.
Rudy Vanderlans. “Sound Design.” Émigré 16 (1990): 20-22.
Online Periodicals
Escudero, Guillermo. “Erik Deerly, A Sense of Place.” 2022. Loop – Santiago, Chile <http://www.loop.cl/content/view/1997/27/>
“Creative Quarantine: Artist Erik Deerly.” 2020. Esthetic Lens Magazine. <http://www.estheticlens.com/2020/07/12/creative-quarantine-artist-erik-deerly/>
“Artists’ Spotlight, Erik Deerly.” 2020. Aesthetica Magazine. <https://aestheticamagazine.com/profile/erik-deerly/>
Woodward, Kristen T. “Flux.” 2020. Artists2artists. <http://artdeadline.ning.com/photo/flux-21>
Woodward, Kristen T. “Dysmorphia.” 2018. Artists2artists. <http://artdeadline.ning.com/photo/erik-deerly-dysmorphia-detail>
Woodward, Kristen T. “Databent.” 2016. Artists2artists. <http://artdeadline.ning.com/photo/databent-54>
Woodward, Kristen T. “The American Dream Ensemble.” 2014. Artists2artists. <http://artdeadline.ning.com/photo/the-american-dream-ensemble>.
Alcantara, Dan. “Erik Austin Deerly – Protoglitch.” 2013. The Equal Ground. <http://www.theequalground.com/1/post/2013/09/erik-austin-deerly-protoglitch.html>.
Math, J. “Figurative Art Exhibition – Photography & Digital.” 2013. Light Space & Time. <http://www.lightspacetime.com/figurative-art-exhibition-photography/>.
Metcaf, D. “Issue 125 Reviews.” 2012. Improvijazzation Nation. <http://rotcodzzaj.com/wordpress/?page_id=3114>.
Williams, Elizabeth A. “The Art of Remembrance.” 2012. <http://actingup-productions.com/aup/?p=1238>.
Metcaf, D. “Issue 123 Reviews.” 2012. Improvijazzation Nation. <http://rotcodzzaj.com/wordpress/?page_id=2823>.
Nguyen, My. “Parable of the Poison Arrow.” 2011. Arial. <http://www.tonmeister.us/parable-of-the-poison-arrow-review-by-my-nguyen/>.
Henderson, Alex. “Review: Biomes.” 2010. ReviewYou. <http://www.tonmeister.us/biomes-review-by-alex-henderson/>.
Radio/Television/Podcast
Ponton, Ben, host. “Background Signals.”A Duck in a Tree, :zoviet*france:, 24 September 2022.
Lancaster, Mark, host. “Box Of Delights Ep 102.”Ship Full of Bombs, Episode 102, Thames Delta Independent Music Radio, 06 July 2022.
Ashcroft, Lee, “Oscillate Live—Episode 182—One Man Underground,” July 4, 2022.
University of Chicago, Interview, WHPK Radio, Chicago, IL, April 3, 1998.
Jonathon Brandmeier, Interview, WLUP Radio, Chicago, IL, December 9, 1994.
Education
2008—Master of Fine Arts, Interdisciplinary Arts & Media, Columbia College Chicago, Chicago, IL
1985—Bachelor of Music in Composition, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL
1986-87—Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL (Graduate studies in music and film)