Statement
I am a San Francisco-based artist whose mixed media works explore the myths, taboos and histories of my Japanese birthplace and naturalized American culture. As an interdisciplinary artist and feminist, I use readily accessible materials to create visually-striking installations that compel the viewer to examine feminist perspectives and polarizing issues such as politics, abortion, immigration, and racial prejudice.
Bio
Priscilla Otani is Board President of the Northern California Women’s Caucus for Art (NCWCA), founding partner of Arc Studios & Gallery in San Francisco, art curator and interdisciplinary artist. Founded in 1973, NCWCA has an activist mission in support of women in the arts and its membership includes artists, art historians, curators, gallerists, art educators and students. As newly elected Board President, Otani prioritizes the continuation of NCWCA’s successful programs such as the mentorship program, curatorial tours, activist exhibitions, and professional development as well as building collaborative opportunities with Bay Area businesses. As partner of Arc Studios & Gallery, Otani has focused on showcasing and promoting emerging and established artists in the San Francisco Bay Area. Since 2010, Arc has exhibited more than 500 mostly local artists, provides studio spaces for 14 local artists, and houses two micro-businesses. As curator, Otani has produced local, national and international exhibitions through Arc Gallery, NCWCA, National Women’s Caucus for Art, and the Pacific Center for the Book Arts. As an interdisciplinary artist, she has participated in many activist-themed exhibitions, ranging in subject matter from immigration, reproductive rights, women’s rights, to politics. Otani received her BA in Psychology and Asian Studies from Mills College in 1974 and MA in Japanese Literature from Columbia University in 1976. Born in Tokyo, Otani is a bi-cultural, naturalized United States citizen.
