Art Basel Hong Kong, Insights
March 25-27, 2020
“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