Skip to main content

Tom Otterness Art

American, b. 1952
Tom Otterness was born in Wichita, Kansas in 1952. By 1970 he had arrived in New York to attend the Art Students League, followed by The Independent Study Program at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Otterness redefines the tradition of cast bronze figurative sculpture by using whimsical cartoon-like figures to make critical commentaries on political and social issues. Not only do his sculptures vary in size from colossal to minute, they also address a wide range of emotions and experiences. Their placement in parks, subway stations, and other public areas around the country allow the works to be appreciated by people from all walks of life. Otterness’s combination of unforeseen subject matter and fanciful characters makes his work universally appealing. Otterness works mainly in bronze sculpture, but his ideas have been realized on paper in the form of drawings and etchings. The unique, simplified forms he creates to convey thought-provoking themes succeed in whichever medium Otterness employs. He currently lives and works in New York City. Otterness has received a number of public commissions across the United States and abroad, and he is represented in many public collections including the Brooklyn Museum of Art, Brooklyn, New York; Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, Texas; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, New York; Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel; IVAM Center Julio Gonzalez, Valencia, Spain; Museo Tamayo, Mexico City, Mexico; Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, California; and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, New York.
to
3
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
2
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
3
10,998
2,843
2,494
1,427
3
Artist: Tom Otterness
"Lovers" Tom Otterness, Pop Art, Stylized, Contemporary Erotic Sculpture
"Lovers" Tom Otterness, Pop Art, Stylized, Contemporary Erotic Sculpture

"Lovers" Tom Otterness, Pop Art, Stylized, Contemporary Erotic Sculpture

By Tom Otterness

Located in New York, NY

Tom Otterness Lovers, 1992 Incised with the artist's initials and inscribed AP 5/10 on the underside Bronze 4 3/8 x 4 x 3 1/2 inches Tom Otterness (born 1952) is an American sculpt...

Category

1990s Pop Art Tom Otterness Art

Materials

Bronze

Macy's Humpty Dumpty unique, signed Ceramic Plate by famed sculptor iconic image
Macy's Humpty Dumpty unique, signed Ceramic Plate by famed sculptor iconic image

Macy's Humpty Dumpty unique, signed Ceramic Plate by famed sculptor iconic image

By Tom Otterness

Located in New York, NY

Tom Otterness Macy's Humpty Dumpty Ceramic Plate, 2006 Glazed ceramic plate Signed and dated on the rim 'Tom Otterness 1/19/2006' 13 1/2 in diameter Unframed Provenance: The Estate o...

Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Tom Otterness Art

Materials

Ceramic, Glaze, Mixed Media

Related Items
Ai Weiwei - Humanity - Artist’s Book - Signed & Numbered Limited Edition Of 200
Ai Weiwei - Humanity - Artist’s Book - Signed & Numbered Limited Edition Of 200

Ai Weiwei - Humanity - Artist’s Book - Signed & Numbered Limited Edition Of 200

By Ai Weiwei

Located in Draper, UT

This limited edition of Ai Weiwei’s book was realized by the publishing house Damocle Edizioni – Venice in 200 numbered copies. The book is hand bound with thermal blankets like thos...

Category

2010s Contemporary Tom Otterness Art

Materials

Gold Leaf

1961 Coty Award Plaque Kenneth  Hairdresser Jacqueline Onassis Bronze Fashion
1961 Coty Award Plaque Kenneth  Hairdresser Jacqueline Onassis Bronze Fashion

1961 Coty Award Plaque Kenneth Hairdresser Jacqueline Onassis Bronze Fashion

Located in New York, NY

1961 Coty Award Plaque Kenneth Hairdresser Jacqueline Onassis Bronze Fashion Bronze on wood. The wood plaque measures 12 3/4" by 20 3/4 inches. The bronze plaque itself is 13 3/4 x 8 3/4 inches and the the bronze inscription, which reads "COTY, American Fashion Critics Special Award 1961 to KENNETH of LILY DACHE...

Category

1960s American Modern Tom Otterness Art

Materials

Bronze

Modern Pop Art Dita Mel Ramos Stainless Steel Nude Sculpture

Mel RamosModern Pop Art Dita Mel Ramos Stainless Steel Nude Sculpture, 2017

$23,530Sale Price|22% Off

H 22.84 in W 13 in D 10.24 in

Modern Pop Art Dita Mel Ramos Stainless Steel Nude Sculpture

By Mel Ramos

Located in Zug, CH

MEL RAMOS (1935-2018) Dita 2017 Cast and polished stainless steel 58 x 33 x 26 cm 22.83 x 12.99 x 10.24 inches Number 29 of 60, Edition of 60 + 6 A.P. Cast signature and number on b...

Category

20th Century Pop Art Tom Otterness Art

Materials

Stainless Steel

Seated Mercury Life-Size Bronze Sculpture, Italian, Late 19th Century
Seated Mercury Life-Size Bronze Sculpture, Italian, Late 19th Century

Seated Mercury Life-Size Bronze Sculpture, Italian, Late 19th Century

Located in Palm Beach, FL

Seated Mercury (Hermes) — Grand Tour Life-Size Bronze Italian School (possibly Naples) Italy, Late 19th–Early 20th Century This commanding life-size Grand Tour bronze depicts Mercury (Hermes) seated in quiet repose upon a rock, rendered with classical authority and exceptional refinement. The youthful god’s finely modeled anatomy, serene, introspective expression, and distinctive winged sandals draw directly from the celebrated ancient prototype, creating a sculpture of enduring presence and balance. Fully restored and ready to place, the bronze presents beautifully for interior display or garden installation, where its patinated surface responds richly to natural light. The composition derives from the renowned Seated Mercury discovered on August 3, 1758, in the peristyle garden of the Villa dei Papiri at Herculaneum. The ancient original—now housed in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli—became a touchstone of classical taste and a must-see for Grand Tour travelers of the 18th and 19th centuries, admired for its harmony, restraint, and technical mastery. Cast in richly toned bronze and finished with a nuanced patina, this example exemplifies the Neapolitan tradition of Grand Tour bronzes, prized for archaeological fidelity and sculptural finesse. Its impressive scale and poised silhouette make it a significant focal point in both modern and classical settings—an object that bridges antiquity and the cultivated collecting culture of the Grand Tour. Notable Related Examples: Getty Villa · Kunsthistorisches Museum · Villa San Michele...

Category

Late 19th Century Academic Tom Otterness Art

Materials

Bronze

Demian Undressing
Demian Undressing

Ian Rank-BroadleyDemian Undressing, 2023

$19,855

H 25.99 in W 10.24 in D 14.18 in

Demian Undressing

Located in London, GB

Bronze Numbered 1/10 66cm × 26cm × 36cm (incl. base) Ian Rank-Broadley is one of the foremost sculptors working today. His effigy of the late Queen Elizabeth II appears on all UK an...

Category

2010s English School Tom Otterness Art

Materials

Bronze

Contemporary Bronze Male Torso Sculpture
Contemporary Bronze Male Torso Sculpture

Contemporary Bronze Male Torso Sculpture

By Roger Reutimann

Located in Boulder, CO

This contemporary bronze sculpture by Swiss-American artist Roger Reutimann combines the refinement of classical figurative sculpture with a clean modern aesthetic. Featuring a power...

Category

2010s Realist Tom Otterness Art

Materials

Bronze

White Totemic Sculpture in Ceramic, 2025 - 'Farmer's Wife'
White Totemic Sculpture in Ceramic, 2025 - 'Farmer's Wife'

White Totemic Sculpture in Ceramic, 2025 - 'Farmer's Wife'

By Laura Pasquino

Located in Bruxelles, BE

Created specifically for the exhibition Timeless Remnants in Knokke, "Farmer's Wife" is part of Laura Pasquino’s new totemic ceramic series. This standing sculpture, composed of stac...

Category

2010s Contemporary Tom Otterness Art

Materials

Ceramic, Glaze

"LA ROC Cat Woman" Decorated Graffiti Street Art Mannequin Bust Sculpture
"LA ROC Cat Woman" Decorated Graffiti Street Art Mannequin Bust Sculpture

"LA ROC Cat Woman" Decorated Graffiti Street Art Mannequin Bust Sculpture

By LA II (Angel Ortiz)

Located in New York, NY

A beautiful street art, abstract Mannequin Bust decorated by artist Angel Ortiz. Here we find this stylish bust figure with the artist signature tag...

Category

2010s Pop Art Tom Otterness Art

Materials

Found Objects, Spray Paint, Acrylic

Female torso
Female torso

Gunnar NilssonFemale torso, 1960

$2,265

H 18.51 in W 5.12 in D 5.91 in

Female torso

Located in Täby, SE

This female torso represents the young woman's strength and vulnerability. It´s was conceived in the 70ths and is signed with the artists initials on a thumbprint. Gunnar Knut Nilsson, born 1904 in Karlskrona, died 1995 in Versailles in France, was a Swedish sculptor. Gunnar Nilsson studied watercolor painting and modeling at the Technical Vocational School in Karlskrona in 1918-19 and on his own in addition to working as a clerk at Finspångs Metallwerk. His debut exhibition was in Finspång in 1927. With the help of a local fundraiser, and after the encouragement of Carl Eldh, he traveled to Paris in 1928 to study sculpture for, among others, Charles Despiau and Paul Niclausse. In Paris he socialized with Bror Hjorth, whose former studio he also rented, Carl Frisendahl and Alberto Giacometti. He came to belong to "Le groupe des Neuf'' with Paul Cornet...

Category

1950s French School Tom Otterness Art

Materials

Bronze

Ceramic and textile small sculpture: 'No. 19'
Ceramic and textile small sculpture: 'No. 19'

Ceramic and textile small sculpture: 'No. 19'

By Ak Jansen

Located in New York, NY

This is part of a collection of ceramics, textiles, and drawings by Ak Jansen which comprise his first solo show in New York City. Born in the Netherlands, Jansen’s work occupies que...

Category

2010s Contemporary Tom Otterness Art

Materials

Gold

Previously Available Items
Small Sunflower
Small Sunflower

Tom OtternessSmall Sunflower, 1997

Sold

H 34.625 in W 16.5 in D 11 in

Small Sunflower

By Tom Otterness

Located in Palm Desert, CA

"Small Sunflower" is a sculpture by Tom Otterness. The sculpture is edition 3 of 6. Tom Otterness was born in Wichita, Kansas in 1952. He came to New York City in 1970 to study at the Arts Students League, and in 1973 took part in the Whitney Independent Study Program. In 1977 he became a member of Collaborative Projects, a pioneering community of independent artists, and took a leading role in organizing Colab’s 1980 Times Square Show, which was called “the first avant-garde art show of the ‘80s” by the Village Voice. Otterness is one of a handful of contemporary artists invited to design a balloon for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, for which he devised a tumbling Humpty-Dumpty in 2005. Otterness lives and works in New York. Otterness may well be “the world’s best public sculptor,” as the art critic Ken Johnson opined in the New York Times in 2002. Public art is his focus, and Otterness has had major outdoor exhibitions of his sculptures on the Park Avenue Mall in New York (2003), in more than a dozen sites in downtown Indianapolis (2005), on the grounds of the Beverly Hills city hall (2005-06) and throughout Grand Rapids, Michigan (2006). His first solo exhibition, held at Brooke Alexander Gallery in New York in 1983, featured elements of The New World (1991), a white plaster frieze of 250 nude “Ur-people,” as essayist Hayden Herrera called them, eventually destined for the plaza of the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building in Los Angeles, a General Services Administration commission. In the U.S., Otterness has completed at least three dozen public commissions, including Life Underground (2004), his celebrated multi-figural bronze sculpture installation for the New York Metropolitan Transportation Agency at the 14th Street station on the Eighth Avenue subway lines. His international commissions include public plazas in Münster, Germany (1993), Toronto, Canada (2007), and Seoul, South Korea (2010), and a large public park in Scheveningen, the Netherlands (2004). In 2013, Creation Myth, a gateway park for the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester, N.Y., was dedicated. Works by Otterness are included in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Guggenheim Museum, the Eli Broad Family Foundation, the Brooklyn Museum, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Carnegie Museum, the Museo Tamayo in Mexico City, the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, and others. He was elected a member of the National Academy in 1994. Most recently, Otterness has installed The Tables from the collection of the Whitney and 50 new sculptures in niches at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, as part of the group exhibition, The Value of Food. On a personal note, Otterness has practiced Tai Chi, martial arts, and boxing in the school of William C. C. Chen since the 1970s, and his studio features a boxing bag...

Category

1990s Contemporary Tom Otterness Art

Materials

Bronze

CAT
CAT

Tom OtternessCAT, 1997

Sold

H 21.5 in W 15.5 in

CAT

By Tom Otterness

Located in New York, NY

Tom Otterness Cat, 1997 Soft Ground Etching 21 1/2 × 15 1/2 inches Edition 7/10 AP Hand-signed by artist, Pencil signed and numbered AP 7/10; unframed; bears original Marlborough Gallery...

Category

1990s Abstract Tom Otterness Art

Materials

Etching

Man and Woman - Educating the Rich
Man and Woman - Educating the Rich

Man and Woman - Educating the Rich

By Tom Otterness

Located in Long Island City, NY

Artist: Tom Otterness, American (1952 - ) Title: Man and Woman - Educating the Rich (Black) Year: 1993 Medium: Etching, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 4/25 Size: 11 x 11...

Category

1990s Pop Art Tom Otterness Art

Materials

Etching

One Cent and Globe Sculpture
One Cent and Globe Sculpture

One Cent and Globe Sculpture

By Tom Otterness

Located in Surfside, FL

I have a pair. the price is for one. you can buy one or both. they are cast in hydrocal. Tom Otterness (born 1952) is an American sculptor best known as one of America’s most prolific public artists. Otterness's works adorn parks, plazas, subway stations, libraries, courthouses and museums in New York City—most notably in Rockefeller Park in Battery Park City...

Category

Contemporary Tom Otterness Art

Materials

Plaster

Mama Bear
Mama Bear

Tom OtternessMama Bear, 2010

Sold

H 13 in W 10 in D 9 in

Mama Bear

By Tom Otterness

Located in Long Island City, NY

Title: Mama Bear Year: 2010 Medium: Porcelain Ceramic Cookie Jar Size: 13 x 10 x 9 in. (33.02 x 25.4 x 22.86 cm)

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Tom Otterness Art

Materials

Ceramic, Porcelain

Educating The Rich

Educating The Rich

By Tom Otterness

Located in Long Island City, NY

An original hand-signed etching by Tom Otterness American (1952- ). In excellent condition and nicely framed.

Category

1990s Pop Art Tom Otterness Art

Materials

Etching

Bull Pushing Penny

Tom OtternessBull Pushing Penny, 2009

Sold

H 12.5 in W 3 in D 16 in

Bull Pushing Penny

By Tom Otterness

Located in San Francisco, CA

Category

Tom Otterness Art

Materials

Bronze

Tom Otterness art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Tom Otterness art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Tom Otterness in metal, bronze, mixed media and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 21st century and contemporary and is mostly associated with the contemporary style. Not every interior allows for large Tom Otterness art, so small editions measuring 2 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Jedediah Morfit, Ron Nagle, and Mayme Kratz. Tom Otterness art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $3,500 and tops out at $29,000, while the average work can sell for $5,725.