OTTO OSCAR HERNÁNDEZ RUIZ
A biographical fusion of two cultures Born 1976 in Cuba, Otto later studied architecture in Havana. Loving the aesthetic element of art in architecture and by searching for more expressive venues for it he eventually found his way to Weimar where he studied fine art at the prestigious Bauhaus University. Otto spent 10 years living in Weimar exploring the depth of his creativity by collaborating with fellow Bauhaus colleagues from all art disciplines. The last four years he has spent in Berlin following his own personal path, saturating himself with the lines and feeling of the city: the conglomeration of cultures, smells, and time. Travelling between Berlin, Leipzig and Weimar, he used his time on the train for studies of the landscape. This led to vivid acrylic paintings, injected with the changing of the seasons, the speed of the train, and the feeling of integration into the world. Otto explains that being Cuban has affected his work because he learned the necessity of improvisation as a result of a lack of resources. He learned to work with his surroundings. Cuba provides a magnificent backdrop of architecture and vibrant culture. As a foreigner in a country very different from his own, somehow through improvisation, Otto has managed to create his own world of colour, sound and texture.
PAINTINGS In Otto’s paintings, his energy is apparent in his use of colour. Bright colours help to weave the themes of racism, Cuba, nationality, sexuality, mediation between machines and people. Even in each finished work, where the dimensions keep the eye endlessly entertained and moving, there is a feeling of forward motion, of time unending.
DRAWINGS The drawings that Otto presents are an exquisite study of craft and imagination. Initially reflecting a purer architectural influence, there are sketches of street scenes, beautifully correct in their perspective but reflecting, too, the pulsing feel of the city.
THÜRINGER STUBE Acrylic painting on paper 70 x 100 cm
I ALSO LOVE ARCHITECTURE Acrylic painting on canvas 150 x 200 cm
CUBA/KUBA Acrylic painting on board 70 x 50 cm
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FRAGMENTED LANDSCAPES
Fragmented Landscapes is a collection of drawings which have arisen while travelling by train or through urban spaces in Eastern Germany between Berlin, Weimar, Leipzig and Dresden. The reflection of different perceptual conditions is reflected and in turn is amplified in the theme of landscape. The analysis of the fragment as a perception and mode of existence is projected as such in the works.
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Fragmented Landscapes Drawing on paper 27x35 cm
Fragmented Landscapes Drawing on paper 21x33 cm
PERFORMANCE Otto is part of an electronic music band, Cindy Sizer, they play at festivals and clubs, and for their own merit, meet every year for a week and perform in a field, alone, pushing the boundaries of what performance can be. As well as this he creates site specific works that are performed in the surroundings of his artworks. In these performances he mixes texts within the chords of music, improvising with voice and body, reflecting the emotions of the world around him.
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