Lehmann Maupin is pleased to announce Angel Otero’s Piel de Luna. For his first solo exhibition in Korea, the New York-based artist will debut a series of recent large-scale paintings, paint collages on paper, and a tapestry-like work composed entirely of oil paint that hangs directly on the wall. Otero’s practice is rooted in the history of painting and remains dedicated to the tradition of abstraction, recontextualized through his innovative process. His richly textured paintings engage in an exploration of memory by addressing art historical themes and also grappling with the artist’s personal history. Through experimental techniques and physically engaging processes, Otero pushes the boundaries of his materials, drawing much of his inspiration from the inherent qualities of oil paint. The artist will be present for an opening reception at the gallery on Thursday, November 1, from 5 to 7 PM.

Otero begins each painting by reproducing varied reference images in thick oil paint on a large plate of glass. Once nearly dry, the artist scrapes a skin of paint from the glass surface, allowing chance to play a role in abstracting the images through the process of removal. He then cuts and reworks these “oil skin” fragments into a collaged composition that contain hints of the original painted imagery, but within a new and more complexly layered abstract composition. Through years of careful observation of the interactions and structural tendencies of the material, Otero has forged this individualistic process and style based on materiality and the endeavor of conflating the genres of both representational and abstract painting. The reference image for each painting originates from research, personal memories or belongings, or the style and palette of a historical painter. Through his unique processes of painting, drawing, and printmaking, Otero digests these varied references, creating works that are visually autonomous from the original imagery.