Erin Calla Watson’s photography, sculpture and video channel a long tradition in the fields of visual art, literature, psychoanalysis, and philosophy, among others, where rooms are activated with a psycho-sexual charge, including the dark interiors of Dutch Golden Age paintings of licentious taverns; Virginia Woolf’s notion of a room being essential for a woman’s autonomy; and Walter Benjamin’s characterization of “the phantasmagoria of the interior,” the individual’s universe of illusion, their protection from the outside world. Calla Watson highlights and disrupts this weaponizing of affect by appropriating private spaces—from fictional children’s picture books to online manosphere platforms—pushing them through prisms of visual modification, including inserting popular cultural icons that are replete with sentiment, angst, and trauma.

Calla Watson received an MFA from California Institute of the Arts in 2023. Previous solo exhibitions include Nymph at Ehrlich Steinberg, Los Angeles, CA (2025); Laddy Daddy Dah at Rinde am Rhein, Dusseldorf, DE (2024); (Untitled) n.d. at Foxy Production, New York, NY (2023) and KYLE at Larder, Los Angeles, CA (2022). Selected group exhibitions include Display at Ehrlich Steinberg, Los Angeles, CA; Proof of Concept: Photography at Briefing Room, Brussels, BE (2024); Unto Dust at Fitzpatrick Gallery, Paris, FR (2023); Video Store at Foxy Production, New York, NY (2023); a somewhat thin line at In Lieu, Los Angeles, CA; At Land at Foxy Production, New York, NY (2022) and The Conspiracy of Art: Part II at Chateau Shatto, Los Angeles, CA (2020). Calla Watson’s work has been featured in Artforum, Carla, Cultured, Mousse, Numero, Objectiv, Section, STUDIO Magazine.

Exhibitions
Nymph, 2025
Christopher Baliwas, Mark Verabioff, Erin Calla Watson, 2024
Display, 2024




Installation view. Nymph by Erin Calla Watson, 2025. Ehrlich Steinberg, Los Angeles. Photo: Evan Walsh.


Erin Calla Watson, Supermassive Black Hole, 2025. UV print on mirrored glass, 60 x 46 in. (152.5 x 117 cm). Photo: Evan Walsh.


Erin Calla Watson, Supermassive Black Hole, 2025. UV print on mirrored glass, 60 x 46 in. (152.5 x 117 cm). Photo: Evan Walsh.


Detail. Erin Calla Watson, Supermassive Black Hole, 2025. UV print on mirrored glass, 60 x 46 in. (152.5 x 117 cm). Photo: Evan Walsh.


Erin Calla Watson, Glory Box, 2025. UV print on mirrored glass, 51 x 75 in. (129.5 x 190.5 cm). Photo: Evan Walsh.


Erin Calla Watson, Glory Box, 2025. UV print on mirrored glass, 51 x 75 in. (129.5 x 190.5 cm). Photo: Evan Walsh.


Detail. Erin Calla Watson, Glory Box, 2025. UV print on mirrored glass, 51 x 75 in. (129.5 x 190.5 cm). Photo: Evan Walsh.


Installation view. Nymph by Erin Calla Watson, 2025. Ehrlich Steinberg, Los Angeles. Photo: Evan Walsh.


Erin Calla Watson, When I was a young boy, My father took me into the city, To see a marching band, 2025. UV print on mirrored glass, 36 x 37 in. (91.5 x 94 cm). Photo: Evan Walsh.


Erin Calla Watson, Flightless Bird, American Mouth, 2025. UV print on mirrored glass, 60 x 48 in. (152.5 x 122 cm). Photo: Evan Walsh.


Installation view. 1TB Verbatim: Los Angeles Timing 2013-2025, 2025. Leroy’s, Los Angeles. Photo: Evan Walsh.


Installation view. Christopher Baliwas, Mark Verabioff, Erin Calla Watson, 2025. Ehrlich Steinberg, Los Angeles. Photo: Evan Walsh.


Erin Calla Watson, Spiritual America, 2019. The Playboy Philosophy vol. I - IV, UV inkjet print, polyester glitter, mineral oil, acrylic, edition 1/2 + 1 AP, 11 x 90 x 2.5 in. (28 x 229 x 6 cm); 11 x 9 x 2.5 in. each (28 x 23 x 6 cm each). Photo: Evan Walsh.


Erin Calla Watson, Spiritual America, 2019. The Playboy Philosophy vol. I - IV, UV inkjet print, polyester glitter, mineral oil, acrylic, edition 1/2 + 1 AP, 11 x 90 x 2.5 in. (28 x 229 x 6 cm); 11 x 9 x 2.5 in. each (28 x 23 x 6 cm each). Photo: Evan Walsh.


Detail. Erin Calla Watson, Spiritual America, 2019. The Playboy Philosophy vol. I - IV, UV inkjet print, polyester glitter, mineral oil, acrylic, edition 1/2 + 1 AP, 11 x 90 x 2.5 in. (28 x 229 x 6 cm); 11 x 9 x 2.5 in. each (28 x 23 x 6 cm each). Photo: Evan Walsh.


Detail. Erin Calla Watson, Spiritual America, 2019. The Playboy Philosophy vol. I - IV, UV inkjet print, polyester glitter, mineral oil, acrylic, edition 1/2 + 1 AP, 11 x 90 x 2.5 in. (28 x 229 x 6 cm); 11 x 9 x 2.5 in. each (28 x 23 x 6 cm each). Photo: Evan Walsh.


Detail. Erin Calla Watson, Spiritual America, 2019. The Playboy Philosophy vol. I - IV, UV inkjet print, polyester glitter, mineral oil, acrylic, edition 1/2 + 1 AP, 11 x 90 x 2.5 in. (28 x 229 x 6 cm); 11 x 9 x 2.5 in. each (28 x 23 x 6 cm each). Photo: Evan Walsh.


Detail. Erin Calla Watson, Spiritual America, 2019. The Playboy Philosophy vol. I - IV, UV inkjet print, polyester glitter, mineral oil, acrylic, edition 1/2 + 1 AP, 11 x 90 x 2.5 in. (28 x 229 x 6 cm); 11 x 9 x 2.5 in. each (28 x 23 x 6 cm each). Photo: Evan Walsh.


Erin Calla Watson, Spiderus is forced to witness frightful massacre of Brooke Shields princesses - Spiderus children not shown in this composition. Fan Fiction Edward Cullens who are robed are made to suffer from the worst torture imaginable under fierce tropical heat., 2024. Acrylic on direct to substrate print on aluminum, 22 x 31 in. (56 x 78.7 cm). Photo: Evan Walsh.


Erin Calla Watson, Spiderus is forced to witness frightful massacre of Brooke Shields princesses - Spiderus children not shown in this composition. Fan Fiction Edward Cullens who are robed are made to suffer from the worst torture imaginable under fierce tropical heat., 2024. Acrylic on direct to substrate print on aluminum, 22 x 31 in. (56 x 78.7 cm). Photo: Evan Walsh.


Detail. Erin Calla Watson, Spiderus is forced to witness frightful massacre of Brooke Shields princesses - Spiderus children not shown in this composition. Fan Fiction Edward Cullens who are robed are made to suffer from the worst torture imaginable under fierce tropical heat., 2024. Acrylic on direct to substrate print on aluminum, 22 x 31 in. (56 x 78.7 cm). Photo: Evan Walsh.


Installation view. Laddy Daddy Dah by Erin Calla Watson, 2024. Rinde am Rhein, Düsseldorf.


Installation view. Laddy Daddy Dah by Erin Calla Watson, 2024. Rinde am Rhein, Düsseldorf.


Erin Calla Watson, Veil, 2024. C-print, framed, 21.5 x 15.75 in. (55 x 40 cm).


Erin Calla Watson, Boomer, 2024. C-print, framed, 21.5 x 15.75 in. (55 x 40 cm).


Erin Calla Watson, Heathen, 2023. HD-video, 2:00 minutes.


Installation view. Proof of Concept: Photography, 2024. Briefing Room, Brussels. Photo: Kristien Daem.


Film still. Erin Calla Watson, Heathen, 2023. HD-video, 2:00 minutes.


Installation view. (Untitled), 2023. Foxy Production, New York. Photo: Charles Benton.


Erin Calla Watson, Main Street, Gull Lake, Saskatchewan, 2023. Chromogenic print, 18 x 20 in. (45.72 x 50.08 cm) framed, edition 1/3 + 2 AP. Photo: Charles Benton.


Detail. Erin Calla Watson, Main Street, Gull Lake, Saskatchewan, 2023. Chromogenic print, 18 x 20 in. (45.72 x 50.08 cm) framed, edition 1/3 + 2 AP. Photo: Charles Benton.


Erin Calla Watson, Mobile homes, Jefferson County, 2023. Gelatin silver print, 18 x 20 in. (45.72 x 50.08 cm) framed, edition 1/3 + 2 AP. Photo: Charles Benton.


Detail. Erin Calla Watson, Mobile homes, Jefferson County, 2023. Gelatin silver print, 18 x 20 in. (45.72 x 50.08 cm) framed, edition 1/3 + 2 AP. Photo: Charles Benton.


Erin Calla Watson, Clear Creek Canyon above the Forks, 2023. Chromogenic print, 18 x 20 in. (45.72 x 50.08 cm) framed, edition 1/3 + 2 AP. Photo: Charles Benton.


Detail. Erin Calla Watson, Clear Creek Canyon above the Forks, 2023. Chromogenic print, 18 x 20 in. (45.72 x 50.08 cm) framed, edition 1/3 + 2 AP. Photo: Charles Benton.


Installation view. Video Store, 2023. Foxy Production, New York. Photo: Charles Benton.


Film still. Erin Calla Watson, Heathen, 2023. HD-video, 2:00 minutes.


Installation view. Unto Dust, 2023. Fitzpatrick Gallery, Paris.


Installation view. At Land, 2022. Foxy Production, New York. Photo: Charles Benton.


Erin Calla Watson, John Wayne Alone, 2022. Direct-to-substrate print on aluminum, 36 x 48 in. (91.4 x 121.9 cm). Photo: Charles Benton.


Erin Calla Watson, Harley Quinn Alone, 2022. Direct-to-substrate print on aluminum, 36 x 48 in. (91.4 x 121.9 cm). Photo: Charles Benton.


Installation view. Travess Smalley and Erin Calla Watson, 2022. Paris Internationale with Foxy Production, New York.


Detail. Erin Calla Watson, Goodnight Room, 2022. Dye sublimation print on aluminum mounted on Dibond, framed. 59 x 45.5 in. (149.9 x 115.6 cm).


Detail. Erin Calla Watson, Goodnight Donnie, 2022. Dye sublimation print on aluminum mounted on Dibond, framed. 59 x 45.5 in. (149.9 x 115.6 cm).


Installation view. KYLE by Erin Calla Watson, 2022. Larder, Los Angeles. Photo: Evan Walsh.


Installation view. KYLE by Erin Calla Watson, 2022. Larder, Los Angeles. Photo: Evan Walsh.


Erin Calla Watson, KYLE (USPS), 2022. Direct-to-substrate print on aluminum, 26 x 35 in. (66 x 89 cm). Photo: Evan Walsh.


Erin Calla Watson, KYLE (Airfryer), 2022. Direct-to-substrate print on aluminum, 26 x 26 in. (66 x 89 cm). Photo: Evan Walsh.


Installation view. KYLE by Erin Calla Watson, 2022. Larder, Los Angeles. Photo: Evan Walsh.


Erin Calla Watson, KYLE (Ergonomics), 2022. Direct-to-substrate print on aluminum, 26 x 35 in. (66 x 89 cm). Photo: Evan Walsh.


Detail. Erin Calla Watson, KYLE (Calvin), 2022. Paint on wall, dimensions variable. Photo: Evan Walsh.


Erin Calla Watson, Sweetie at Her Window (Scene 2), 2019. Pewter, lead, liver of sulphur, wax, laser-etched glass, 11 x 7.5 x 2 in. (28 x 19 x 5 cm). Photo: Evan Walsh.


Erin Calla Watson, Sweetie at Her Window (Scene 2), 2019. Pewter, lead, liver of sulphur, wax, laser-etched glass, 11 x 7.5 x 2 in. (28 x 19 x 5 cm). Photo: Evan Walsh.


Installation view. Erin Calla Watson and Haena Yoo, 2019. As It Stands, Los Angeles.


Installation view. Erin Calla Watson and Haena Yoo, 2019. As It Stands, Los Angeles.


Erin Calla Watson, Placeholder Stack, 2019. Pewter, liver of sulphur, laser etched glass, 38 x 6 in. (96.5 x 15.2 cm).


Detail. Erin Calla Watson, Placeholder Stack, 2019. Pewter, liver of sulphur, laser etched glass, 38 x 6 in. (96.5 x 15.2 cm).