Angel Otero is a visual artist best known for his process-based paintings. While much of his works have been influenced by memories based in photographs and other family memorabilia combined with the gestures of 20th century painting, his latest works highlights the artist’s unique process as a form of narrative in itself. Through his innovative process of oil paint scraping, Angel Otero venerates historical oil painting while confronting it head on. Otero’s ‘deformation’ approach to painting his works, first across glass and then once dry, flaying the dried paint and reconstructing the composition anew across large canvasses, is representative of how the artist perceives the process of reconfiguring both personal and historical narratives. Otero’s work sometimes uses process as a way of confronting deep, personal memories. Instead of representing his life through art, he archives moments within it by creating opportunities of surprise and discovery. His work is a constant negotiation between the individual and art history.
Angel Otero’s work will be on view at the ISTANBUL’74 gallery starting the 23rd of February until the 17th of March
Here are his Qs to our As!
When are you happiest?
When I’m in the ocean. If I’m fishing, better.
What motivates you?
Music.
Which city or cities are centers of creativity and inspiration for you?
I don’t think any specific city inspires my work…but I do get a specific attitude towards my work by the fact of working from New York City… It’s a very competitive and challenging city.
For you what Istanbul stands for?
Lots of history.
What do you think of the city (cities) you live in?
Well living in New York City for some reason makes me think and react faster to my own work. It’s a city that can be very competitive and challenging but at the same it also gives a lot of very useful sources to harvest my creativity.
What’s your current source of inspiration?
Fences.
Your most memorable journey?
Leaving home to go to Chicago to study art…It was cold. I saw snow for the first time. Surreal.
Your favorite place to visit to get ideas?
I go to the Strand Bookstore in the East Village almost every Sunday…
Your most cherished possession?
An 18th century small sacred figurine.
Who or what inspired you to become a painter?
A childhood girlfriend of mine. I was around 6 or 7 years old.
Key moment in your life?
Dropping a good job to go to art school.
Favorite recent discovery?
Mixing soil and honey bee to make art.
Favorite artist of all times?
I have a love and hate relationship with Picasso…not sure if he is my favorite but it’s the only one that makes me feel this way.
How will you be remembered?
As a very skinny guy.
What can’t you live without?
Music.
What’s on repeat on your iPod?
DJ Shadow “What your soul looks like”.
Names of people you think revolutionized the art world:
Duchamp, Peggy Guggenheim, Warhol, Saatchi, Hirst.. There are quite a few that change in some way the art world…for good or bad.
What is the trait you most deplore about yourself?
Self-indulgence.