This Fall I will be having an Art Fundraising Event at Radiant Space and donating a portion of my proceeds to my friend’s nonprofit ‘Drop in the Bucket’, which drills wells in Africa (http://www.dropinthebucket.org)

Henry Rollins PSA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C7spbuvnS0

Artist:

Johnny Otto was born in Ohio, the grandson of German and Czech Immigrants. He grew up in Ontario, Canada and made frequent trips across the border to the Detroit Institute of Arts as a child. His work is greatly influenced by their African and Oceanic Art Collection. These beautiful and hypnotic works of art left an immeasurable impression on him and drove him to want to paint in an attempt to recreate their spirit in a modern context. His work has been compared to Picasso, Basquiat, Haring and many other influential Artists. Like Picasso’s ‘Les Demoiselles d’Avignon’, the mask is a source of much of his inspiration. The reconfiguration of the human face and body continually appears in new ways in his work, throughout his 35 year career.

Statement:

I was born in Bay Village Ohio and grew up in a small town in Canada across the border from Detroit. I never encountered poverty firsthand and it was only something I read about or saw in movies or on the news. When I was a teenager I went to work with my father who was a Doctor in one of the worst parts of Detroit and it opened my eyes to just how severe poverty in America was. Especially in the inner city. It affected me deeply and I’ve always had it my heart to try and make positive change in the world. That is why I have chosen to give a portion of the proceeds from my art to help various charities.

Radiant Space is a multimedia gallery in the heart of West Hollywood, CA. At its core, we are a team of creatives who have bonded together to co-create a space for visual arts, film, dance, fashion, and multimedia installations. Our aim is to authentically present work that adds to the global conversation of what it means to have a human experience here and now.

We offer our space to rent for creative projects, photo shoots, personal art shows, and special events. We’d love to collaborate with you. Feel free to reach out to us and come join our community.