Angel Otero

After gaining attention for his experimental abstract oil paintings in the early 2010s, the Puerto Rican artist Angel Otero began to pursue a bold new direction, merging his acclaimed form of abstraction with figurative elements to create multilayered, dreamlike scenes that synthesize the observed and the imagined into powerful meditations on memory and identity. This book explores recent developments in the artist’s work, culminating in his highly anticipated 2026 exhibition at Hauser & Wirth in Somerset. Alongside insightful essays by curators Tobias Ostrander and John Tain, a conversation between Otero and curator Julie Rodrigues Widholm explores the artist’s singular practice in his own words, while studio photography documents his labor-intensive process of layering, peeling, and collaging oil paint. Angel Otero during his residency at Hauser & Wirth Somerset, 2026. Courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth. Photo: Clare Walsh