Art Basel Hong Kong, Insights
Art Basel Hong Kong, Insights
“Precarious Oracles” is an exhibition of new work by Woody De Othello, which interrogates the art history of “still life” and the global tradition of animism. Whether descended from Chinese folk superstitions, Japanese Shintoism, African Voodoo, or even the Buddhist concept of karma, animist belief systems imagine that objects possess distinct spiritual essences or immortal psychological characters. Othello’s ceramic sculptures transform everyday objects into lusciously glazed vessels that embody emotional states and express ideas about grandiosity, fatigue, desire, pride and resignation. Sometimes the ceramic objects overcome negative energy and bad spirits; other times they attempt to divulge a secret, share their wisdom, proselytize and/or prophesize.
The exhibition also includes Othello’s intensely colored, psychologically rich paintings which depict people in odd personal circumstances and meditate on how the forces of globalization are affecting our sense of self.
Image: Oval Clocking, 2020
Ceramic, underglaze and glaze, clock hands, clock motor, battery
11 x 19 x 3 inches / 27.9 x 48.3 x 7.6 cm
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Woody De Othello
A Hope for a Prayer, 2020
Ceramic, underglaze and glaze
Overall: 41.5 x 19 x 9 inches / 105.5 x 48.3 x 22.9 cm
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Woody De Othello
A Hope for a Prayer, 2020
Ceramic, underglaze and glaze
Overall: 41.5 x 19 x 9 inches / 105.5 x 48.3 x 22.9 cm
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Woody De Othello
One Foot Forwards, 2020
Ceramic, underglaze and glaze
Overall: 42 x 16 x 17 inches / 106.7 x 40.7 x 43.2 cm
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Woody De Othello
One Foot Forwards, 2020
Ceramic, underglaze and glaze
Overall: 42 x 16 x 17 inches / 106.7 x 40.7 x 43.2 cm
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Woody De Othello
Grieving, 2020
Ceramic, underglaze and glaze
Overall: 46 x 16.5 x 16 inches / 116.9 x 42 x 40.7 cm
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Woody De Othello
Grieving, 2020
Ceramic, underglaze and glaze
Overall: 46 x 16.5 x 16 inches / 116.9 x 42 x 40.7 cm
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Woody De Othello
Oval Clocking, 2020
Ceramic, underglaze and glaze, clock hands, clock motor, battery
11 x 19 x 3 inches 27.9 x 48.3 x 7.6 cm
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Woody De Othello
On the Clock, 2020
Ceramic, underglaze and glaze, clock hands, clock motor, battery
21 1/2 x 15 x 3 inches 54.6 x 38.1 x 7.6 cm
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Woody De Othello
Cool Escape, 2020
Ceramic, glaze
21 x 19 x 4 inches 53.3 x 48.3 x 10.2 cm
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Woody De Othello
Help From Yourself, 2020
Oil on canvas
37 x 37 x 2 inches 94 x 94 x 5.1 cm
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Woody De Othello
Looking Out on the Inside, 2020
Oil on canvas
30 x 24 x 1 1/4 inches 31 x 25 x 2 inches
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Woody De Othello
Pushing Away Keeping Out, 2020
Oil on canvas
40 x 30 x 1 1/4 inches 41 x 31 x 2 inches
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Woody De Othello
Shadow Hug, 2020
Oil on canvas
16 x 20 x 1 ¼ inches 17 x 21 x 2 inches
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Woody De Othello
Big Switch, 2020
Ceramic, underglaze and glaze
7 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 3 inches 19.1 x 11.4 x 7.6 cm
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Woody De Othello
Two Times One, 2020
Ceramic, underglaze and glaze
4 1/2 x 7 x 2 1/2 inches 11.4 x 17.8 x 6.3 cm

A Hope for a Prayer, 2020
Ceramic, underglaze and glaze
Overall: 41.5 x 19 x 9 inches / 105.5 x 48.3 x 22.9 cm

A Hope for a Prayer, 2020
Ceramic, underglaze and glaze
Overall: 41.5 x 19 x 9 inches / 105.5 x 48.3 x 22.9 cm

One Foot Forwards, 2020
Ceramic, underglaze and glaze
Overall: 42 x 16 x 17 inches / 106.7 x 40.7 x 43.2 cm

One Foot Forwards, 2020
Ceramic, underglaze and glaze
Overall: 42 x 16 x 17 inches / 106.7 x 40.7 x 43.2 cm

Grieving, 2020
Ceramic, underglaze and glaze
Overall: 46 x 16.5 x 16 inches / 116.9 x 42 x 40.7 cm

Grieving, 2020
Ceramic, underglaze and glaze
Overall: 46 x 16.5 x 16 inches / 116.9 x 42 x 40.7 cm

Oval Clocking, 2020
Ceramic, underglaze and glaze, clock hands, clock motor, battery
11 x 19 x 3 inches 27.9 x 48.3 x 7.6 cm

On the Clock, 2020
Ceramic, underglaze and glaze, clock hands, clock motor, battery
21 1/2 x 15 x 3 inches 54.6 x 38.1 x 7.6 cm

Cool Escape, 2020
Ceramic, glaze
21 x 19 x 4 inches 53.3 x 48.3 x 10.2 cm

Help From Yourself, 2020
Oil on canvas
37 x 37 x 2 inches 94 x 94 x 5.1 cm

Looking Out on the Inside, 2020
Oil on canvas
30 x 24 x 1 1/4 inches 31 x 25 x 2 inches

Pushing Away Keeping Out, 2020
Oil on canvas
40 x 30 x 1 1/4 inches 41 x 31 x 2 inches

Shadow Hug, 2020
Oil on canvas
16 x 20 x 1 ¼ inches 17 x 21 x 2 inches

Big Switch, 2020
Ceramic, underglaze and glaze
7 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 3 inches 19.1 x 11.4 x 7.6 cm

Two Times One, 2020
Ceramic, underglaze and glaze
4 1/2 x 7 x 2 1/2 inches 11.4 x 17.8 x 6.3 cm