Erik Otto: From One Place To The Next

Join us on Thursday, September 21st, 6-9pm to celebrate the opening of Erik Otto’s ongoing project, From One Place To The Next, recent artwork inspired by a time of transition.
EXHIBITION DETAILS:
21 September – 7 October
Thursday – Sunday, 10:00am – 6:00pm
384 Broadway, New York, NY 10013
EVENT SCHEDULE:
Opening Reception: Thursday, 21 September, 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Short Film Screening: Thursday, 28 September, 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Artist Talk + Closing Party: Thursday, 5 October, 6:00pm – 9:00pm

Otto decided to relocate from San Francisco to New York City and was compelled to make a body of work in the moments prior, during, and immediately after this time of transition. He travelled seven cities in seven weeks releasing new work at the start of his trip while creating and adding more along the way. In June, Otto produced a show in San Francisco that marked the halfway point. From One Place To The Next is the end result of the six month personal journey in which he faced challenge, reflection, uncertainty, and growth.

ARTWORK STATEMENT
“What we believe to be true creates our reality. Through our individual experiences we develop our unique perspectives. Yet, like turning on a light in a dimly lit room, so easily those perspectives can alter. Additionally, we each possess the power to change our perspectives to see beauty in the struggle or even accept the darkest of times as meaningful moments of growth. So much of our lives seem to be based on our perspective…yet things aren’t always what they seem. What we see is often the result of the way we see.
At the start of 2016, I unveiled a shift in my artistic vision while introducing new mediums, techniques, and color combinations influenced by my research of human vision and the psychology behind visual art. Being someone with an extreme case of nearsightedness, I have always been curious about eyesight and how our thoughts are affected by what we see. In my latest body of work, I go beyond vision in the physical sense to examine the power of perspective and it’s influence on our perception of reality. As we live in a time of increasing uncertainty, I can’t help be afflicted by the overload of information that points us to every outcome. Rather than allowing confusion to settle in, I am choosing to focus on cultivating my perspective into a positive one while letting go of the things I can’t control. Producing the work itself has become heavily cathartic while the results remain open and void of recognizable form leaving the viewer to make their own conclusions based on their own experience.” –Erik Otto
EXHIBITION EVENTS:
On Opening Night, Otto will unveil an all new body of work consisting of mixed-media paintings and sculptures with neon lights. Following the opening, there will be a series of events in collaboration with his peers featuring live music, a film screening, a pop-up retail space, and yoga sessions. During the final week of the exhibit, Otto will host an Artist Talk & Closing Reception to celebrate the finish of this project, and the beginning of what is to come.
This project is supported in part by a space grant from chashama.