Eric Rottcher

My work addresses the emotional and psychological weight of what is buried rather than expressed. It engages with hidden aspects of identity, including secrets, grief, addiction, self-perception, and the unreliable nature of memory

I work through a process of accumulation and removal, layering collage, oil pastel, acrylic, and spray paint to build dense, tactile surfaces. I paint, scrape, tear, erase, and rework the surface repeatedly, allowing earlier decisions to remain visible.

Meaning is not predetermined but emerges through intuitive engagement with the materials, as forms are buried, disrupted, and re-exposed.This continual revision reflects my interest in people as layered beings with unique histories, where truth is uncovered over time.

By giving form to what is difficult to articulate, my hope is to create a space where what is hidden can be acknowledged. I invite viewers to reflect on their own memories, regrets, and secrets that persist just beneath the surface.