Tom Otterness is a sculptor who casts his work in bronze, giving it the look and feel of monuments. He underines this sense of importance, however, by creating subjects which at first glance seem too cute to be so serious, an indication of a certain kind of whimsy. But there is indeed a serious message. For 42nd Street, he has made a huge, up-ended penny with small figures riding on top drinking champagne. They seem unaware that two workers below are pushing the penny along like a giant wheel. But before they topple, the penny will have rolled over another character, unfortunately in its path. The playfulness of the representation belies its symbolism: that those at the top, given indifference to those who labor on their behalf, may destroy.
Artists' Biography
Tom Otterness is represented by Brooke Alexander Gallery. His work has been exhibited at the MoMA, NY; The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.; and the Sapporo Art Park, Tokyo. It is included in the permanent collections of MoMA, NY; The Brooklyn Museum, Dallas Museum of Art, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, The Guggenheim Museum, and The Lannan Foundation, CA.
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