Tom Otterness

Tom Otterness is an American sculptor born in Wichita, Kansas, in 1952. He moved to New York in 1970, studying at the Art Students League and joining the Whitney Museum of American Art's Independent Study Program in 1973. He began his art career in 1977 as one of the founding members of the art collective Colab (Collaborative Projects). In his art, he uses figures inspired by Great Depression-era cartoons and ancient texts. His works are frequently seen in parks, squares, subway stations, and other public spaces. One of his most famous works is the bronze sculptures at the "Life Underground" subway station at 14th Street–Union Square in New York. Additionally, the sculpture group "The Real World" located in Rockefeller Park in Battery Park City is noteworthy. His art blends capitalist realism and social critique with a humorous tone. Otterness was elected as a member of the National Academy Museum in 1994.