HOTTEA Transforms North America’s Largest Mall with 13,000 Strands of Yarn

2017 Perrier Artist of the Year Eric Rieger, also known as HOTTEA, has completed a massive installation of colorful string at the largest indoor mall in North America, the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota.

Consisting of 13,000 individual strands of yarn in 103 colors, the installation completely transforms the mall’s Atrium, enveloping visitors in a storm of buzzing color as soon as they pass through the north entrance. In total, a total of 721 pounds of yarn were used, covering the footprint of 55 by 45-foot skylight above.

Entitled “Hot Lunch” – a name inspired by by his assistant, Lin, who also works as a school lunch aid – the installation required 10 full days to install on site after eight weeks of design and logistic planning. The work is HOTTEA’s largest to date and is a natural evolution of his previous work, which began with weaving typography and patterns onto chain-link fences in multi-colored yarns. He has since collaborated all over the world with world renowned institutions including New York Fashion Week and “Sesame Street.”

“The foundation behind my work is to use existing infrastructure and create an artwork or idea that is in harmony within the given space,” said Rieger. “I want to give as many people as possible an opportunity to experience spaces in new ways. I want to evoke feelings of happiness and awe. Working with Mall of America on this piece gives me an opportunity to do just that.”

“Hot Lunch” can be viewed at the Mall of America through October.