Owen Oertling

Artist Statment

I use the figure with juxtaposing scale in a stylized cartoony world. I use specific imagery like the business suit or park bench to draw the viewer's mind towards an idea, while leaving the narrative obfuscated enough to allow the viewer to complete the story themselves. I have fun playing with the placement and scale of my objects. Through changing these formal properties, I work to influence the perspective of the viewer. I enjoy putting the viewer in different viewpoints like, a childhood or larger than life view point, and placing them within the narrative in the installation setting. This allows them to be part of the story helping them have a very personal reading of the piece.

 I work to create a character or object from the outside in.  As their outer skin develops, their internal characteristics and personalities follow. Some are skinned armatures with stretched brown paper; others are solid constructions, while others are modeled forms.  Finishing them with paint allows me to give one more layer of cues for the viewer to draw a narrative from.