Artist Statement
Anatopism, which refers to something that is out of its proper place has defined my current work in painting. My work depicts snapshots of people and considers how appearance defines who we are and often determines our identity more than we would hope. When one’s voice is not heard, when we are mute by self-imposed conditions or cultural discrimination, what does the face become? Our own uniqueness through our appearance – expressions, disinterest, fear, anxiety in the face bears all.
Emily Ottinger works in painting. She is interested in the surrealist movement and different forms of contemporary portraiture and her work is inspired by everyday encounters and scenes from her past and present, which she finds beautiful or tragic.