Can you tell us about the body of work you have been working on here in Somerset?

The body of work that I’ve brought to Somerset and am working on resolving during my residency here consists of works that I started two years ago across my studios in Puerto Rico and New York. These are works that encapsulate my ‘homecoming’ one might say—moving back to Puerto Rico, setting up a studio there, embracing the inspiration that that transition has brought me. These works can be characterized by my personal attachment to certain memories—whether they be crystal clear or blurry recollections—that are collapsed with things that are happening to me in the present day. There’s a lot of symbolism embedded in the work, including motifs that may be familiar within my practice as well as new ones such as water, crabs, eyes, buckets, cigarettes, stairs, doors, windows, so on and so on. The combination of these elements in a lot of these works evokes a certain mode of storytelling that doesn’t necessarily add up to a single, linear narrative per se; rather, it’s more about trying to give meaning to some of these elements all together in more ways than one. This work has really been a portal to my emotions as of late—about place, about self, about being a son, about being a father, about being an artist.

How would you sum up your practice in three words?

Intuition, self, materiality.

Is there anything you can’t live without in your studio?

Music. Music is a key element. It doesn’t have to have rhythm; it can be sounds, background sounds. It really activates my thinking process in unique ways.

What are you currently listening to in the studio?

It varies… I have on repeat mostly old salsa music, jazz, jazz mixed with house music, bossa nova.

_{Listen to some of the artist’s favorite songs that he is playing in the studio.}

How has the change in studio space influenced the way you have been working?

The slower pace, the proximity to nature, to such beautiful landscape with lots of history, to the sound of nature. Being able to sleep so close to where the studio is and where the work is has helped me encounter a certain type of peace, which has opened a lot of new doors for me in thinking about the work, in feeling about the work. I feel like I can hear my thoughts in a better way compared to the louder places that I usually spend my time in. The concentration is different, and I’m definitely admiring and embracing that. There’s an intimacy that plays a key role in being here, making art here, thinking here—while also thinking about things that are far away from me right now.

While I’m not painting the Somerset landscape or making explicit references to my surroundings, being here and interacting with the small yet creatively savvy community has indirectly and symbolically affected me many ways. The landscape, the pace, the feeling, the change of weather—all of these elements have found their way, some way or another, in my practice during my time here. I am very thankful for that.

What have you enjoyed most about your time in Somerset?

I have loved the routine of waking up without a hurry, being able to go for a nice walk and exploring different trails, seeing the expansive landscapes, getting back to the studio, getting my coffee, and starting my day with a beautiful energy. The people I have met have been wonderful.

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Angel Otero’s exhibition ‘Agua Salada’ opens in Somerset on Saturday 2 May.

Learn more about our residency program.