Zodiac Love: Tom Otterness’ Plaster Sex Sculptures (1982–87)

American sculptor Tom Otterness has been a significant figure in the art world, known for his unique approach to cultural activism. Born in 1952, Otterness participated in Art Direct, a mail-order art catalog published by Collaborative Projects (Colab) and Printed Matter, Inc. for Christmas 1982. Colab aimed to spearhead cultural activism driven entirely by artists. For this project, Otterness contributed his “Zodiac Love” plasters, and also designed the catalog’s cover.

Otterness’ work is omnipresent, particularly in New York City. His whimsical and often cartoonish sculptures are found in parks, plazas, subway stations, libraries, courthouses, and museums. Notable pieces include those at Rockefeller Park, Battery Park City’s “Real World” sculpture, and the “Life Underground” installation at the New York City Subway’s 14th Street/Eighth Avenue station.

His art touches on themes of class, sex, money, and race. However, before embarking on his “Zodiac Love” project, in 1979 Otterness sold small plaster figures for $4.99 during the holiday season at Artists Space in New York. These pieces were inspired by plaster replicas of various figures sold in botánica shops in the Bronx. Reflecting on this, Otterness said, “I thought ‘Oh, this is public art.’ This is something that everyone can afford and take home.”

The “Zodiac Love” series was suggested to Otterness by a friend who ran a botánica in the South Bronx and had a factory producing plaster statuary. This series was influenced by the 1970s fascination with zodiac signs, the Kama Sutra, and the popular 1972 illustrated sex manual, “The Joy of Sex,” by British author Alex Comfort.

This Zodiac series was an open edition, but due to its marketing through alternative art venues, only a limited number were made, all dating before 1987.

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