Erik Ruin
Philadelphia, PA, United States
Erik Ruin is a Michigan-raised, Philadelphia-based printmaker, shadow puppeteer, paper-cut artist, etc. His work oscillates between the poles of apocalyptic anxieties and utopian yearnings, with an emphasis on empathy, transcendence and obsessive detail. He frequently works collaboratively with musicians, theater performers, other artists and activist campaigns. He is a founding member of Justseeds Artists' Cooperative, and co-author of the book Paths Toward Utopia: Graphic Explorations of Everyday Anarchism (w/ Cindy Milstein, PM Press, 2012), His performance work has been seen in festivals and living rooms across the US and Europe.
Resume/CV
Other Media
Artist Interests
AnarchismAnti-capitalismAnti-warEcology & AnimalsEnvironment & ClimateFeminisms & GenderGlobal SolidarityHealthHistoryHousing & CitiesInspirationLaborMigrationPolice & PrisonsRacial JusticeSocial Movements Associated Projects
Celebrate People’s History Poster Series & Street Art Workers
Again
$25
Firebrands: Activists You Didn’t Learn About in School
Justseeds Collaboration
$14.95
Walk Away
$30
Desire Is Full of Endless Distances
$40
Down Below
$15
Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival
Justseeds Collaboration
$300
Resourced
Justseeds Collaboration
$250
War Is Trauma
Justseeds Collaboration
$300
Wanderers (Trees)
$40
Celebrate People’s History: Iraq Veterans Against the War Broadsheet
Justseeds Collaboration
$12
Crankies & Ballads
$30
Dead Souls
$35
Practical Abolition animation series
May 5, 2021
It’s been my great pleasure to collaborate with the Philly-based abolitionists Amistad Law Project on a series of animations illustrating practical alternatives to police and prisons. In the words of…
Erik Ruin & dancer Asimina Chremos collaborative performance this Saturday in Philadelphia!
July 21, 2016
Dancer Asimina Chremos and I have been collaborating (alongside my audio-visual band the Ominous Cloud Ensemble) on a performance rooted in the work of poet Paul Celan, esp his work…
Print Lottery Benefit for AS220 Community Printshop!
September 27, 2012
Hey all- we’re in the final few days of Print Lottery 2012, an uniquely structured benefit for AS220 Community Printshop. Members of the public can purchase a $100 ticket, guaranteed…
Last Three Days & Previews of Witches & Mad Prophets
March 13, 2012
We’re in the last 3 days now of my Kickstarter campaign to fund a portfolio project i’m curating & publishing on the theme of heresy. Witches & Mad Prophets will…
Witches & Mad Prophets: A Portfolio of Heretics on Kickstarter!
February 14, 2012
Hey all- I’m trying to raise funds right now for a really exciting portfolio project on the theme of religious heresy featuring Justseeds artists Bec Young, Dylan Miner, Mazatl and…
Staring at the Cracks Installation- Stories Images Sounds of Solitary Confinement
July 5, 2011
OPENING THIS THURSDAY-Staring at the Cracks art installation by Erik Ruin with Brett Story and Dan Blacksberg at 4212 Chestnut, West Philly (below Scribe Video Center). (see below the jump…
Marie Mason Benefit T-Shirts
June 6, 2011
I created this image a while back for my old friend Marie Mason, who’s currently serving out a 22-year prison sentence for charges related to two acts of property destruction…
Justseeds Print Show in South Philly
October 22, 2010
I just put up a show of prints in South Philly, with a print from just about everyone in Justseeds- and must say it looks great! It’s at a brand-new…
Support Prison Artist Leonard Jefferson!
July 11, 2010
Leonard Jefferson is a prolific artist who has used his art to provide analysis and commentary concerning Pennsylvania’s criminal justice system and his lived experience behind bars. His art is…
Mix-A-Day
January 11, 2010
I’ve been creating a mix of music & other auditory ephemera every day for the month of January 2010. They’re all posted here in downloadable form. This project is a…
Art as Action- 12/12/09- 2/20/10- at the Printmaking Council of New Jersey
December 9, 2009
I’ll be in a 5-person group show at the Printmaking Council of New Jersey & paticipating in a panel discussion at the opening this Saturday. please come by if you…
Automatic Insurrection
October 19, 2009
This just in from our friend John Duda in Baltimore, an automated insurrectionist rant generator! Guaranteed to provide hours of entertainment! John explains: “The purpose of this little program is…
Pictures from Erik Ruin installation at the Dirt Palace
September 12, 2009
The Dirt Palace site just posted some nice-looking pics from my installation in their window, which just came down. You can check it out in slideshow format on Flickr. The…
Liberation Banner Project
August 10, 2009
i recently completed a residency at AS220 in Providence, RI. during my month there I worked on a large-scale but intricate banner project. the first three weeks were entirely spent…
Free Xero: A Re-discovered Inspiration
May 6, 2009
I was flipping through various comics anthologies the other day (looking for wordless comics for a friend’s thesis project) when i rediscovered the work of Carol Moiseiwitsch. I remembered her…
My Semi-Secret Sideline in Psychedelic Light Shows
November 19, 2008
Over the past year, I’ve been sporadically doing projections for my friends in the Lesser Known Neutrinos, West Philly’s premier psychedelic synth-punk band. I just recently chanced upon some nice…
Amazing Detroit Window Art
January 24, 2008
Seeing Nicholas’ post of that Chicago project reminded me of this- one of my favorite street art projects in Detroit- or ever, really…. This is, I believe, the old United…
Fire Clears the Way
Eye Contact
Global Climate Strike 2019 Graphics
Justseeds Collaboration
Size: 257.83 MB
Format: PDF
Resurrection City
Who is Where?
Wellspring Portfolio
Justseeds Collaboration
Size: 53.41 MB
Format: JPG
Ocean Death Spiral
Winter Soldier
Paths to Utopia
War Is Trauma
Resourced Portolio
Justseeds Collaboration
Size: 39.01 MB
Format: PDF
Untitled (Cracks in the Dam)
Nothing More Changeable
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Reclaim the Commons
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Thus the Days Passed
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Meanwhile
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Fire Clears the Way
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A Revolution
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The Word & The World
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One Touch of Nature
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Chorus
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We Are All In This Together: exhibition catalog
Justseeds Collaboration
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Resurrection City
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Touching Fire
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The Shape Of Our Resilience
Erik Ruin & LifeLines Project
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Ocean Death Spiral
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Great Soft Power
Justseeds Collaboration
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Hell
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the Beloved
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Wellspring
Justseeds Collaboration
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Descent Into the Maelstrom
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Wanderers (Clouds)
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Mirror Cave
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Leviathan
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Drowning On Dry Land
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Realizing the Impossible
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A Song for Zarmina
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Lovers In The Field
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Climate Chaos
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Climate Chaos
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Damn Their Warnings, Damn Their Lies
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Birds Over the Cityscape
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Witches & Mad Prophets
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Tahrir Square
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