Tom Otterness was born on 1952 and is an American sculptor best known as one of America's most prolific public artists.
17 Facts About Tom Otterness
2.
Tom Otterness contributed a balloon to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
3.
Tom Otterness's style is often described as cartoonish and cheerful, but political.
4.
Tom Otterness studied at the Art Students League of New York in 1970 and at the Independent Study Program of the Whitney Museum of American Art in 1973.
5.
Tom Otterness was an active member of the artists' group Colab from its inception in 1977, and was involved in punk visual art, notably exhibiting in the Punk Art Exhibition in Washington DC, 1978.
6.
Tom Otterness began his career as a public art sculptor during his period with Colab and The Real Estate Show.
7.
Tom Otterness sold small, plaster figures for $4.99 at Artists Space in New York for the 1979 holiday season.
8.
Tom Otterness's inspiration was the plaster replicas of Jesus and Elvis and Santeria sculptures in botanica shops in the Bronx.
9.
Tom Otterness began showing with New York's Brooke Alexander Gallery soon after.
10.
Tom Otterness subsequently received Federal Courthouse commissions in Portland, Oregon, Sacramento, California and Minneapolis, Minnesota.
11.
In 1987, Tom Otterness exhibited his work The Tables at the Museum of Modern Art Projects show.
12.
Tom Otterness's 1999 Feats of Strength is a collection of his iconic whimsical bronze figures representing faculty and students interacting with pieces of the natural sandstone at Western Washington University.
13.
The film has continued to haunt Tom Otterness, engendering continued controversy.
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Since then, Tom Otterness has attracted criticism and protests for the 1977 film, apologized for his behavior, and lost a number of commissions from the continuing criticism.
15.
Tom Otterness's studio released a statement blaming his "anger at [himself] and the world" for the film.
16.
Tom Otterness had been awarded a $750,000 contract in September 2011 for a piece in the new Central Subway project; the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency stated they were unaware of Shot Dog Film when they awarded the contract.
17.
Tom Otterness's studio has been photographed featuring a boxing bag.