Tom Otterness

Berggruen Gallery is delighted to present this booklet to accompany our 2022 exhibition Tom Otterness. 

View Tom Otterness exhibition page here.

Tom Otterness, an iconic American sculptor, is celebrated for his bronze figures that animate public spaces throughout the world. His career began in 1978, when he became a member of Collaborative Projects, a pioneering community of independent artists in New York City, and he has since focused much of his work on site-specific projects. Otterness’s public works are highly recognizable and widely appreciated, such as his popular 2004 multi figure sculptural installation Life Underground for New York Metropolitan Transportation at the 14th Street Union Square subway station. Otterness’s spirited creatures generate moments of pause in busy urban life, allowing each passersby experiences of levity and satire while going about their daily lives. Otterness employs the lost-wax process to create his cast metal figures, ranging from palm-sized to monumental. His characters relay witty commentary and discerning truths on social matters, human emotions, and fabled idioms. This exhibition presents a survey of Otterness’s sculptures from 1999 to 2022, including personified animals and humanoid figures, some of which simply serve to lighten the viewer’s mood with a smile, while others tackle themes of economic disparity and political injustice.

Long has John Berggruen Gallery worked with and admired the art of Tom Otterness, first presenting a solo exhibition in 1987. Now, almost two decades after his last solo show with the gallery, John Berggruen is excited to work with Otterness and celebrate their enduring friendship once again.