Cristina Ottonello is a large-scale installation artist with a developed skillset in participatory projects with communities of interest and young people. She specialise in outdoor art and in the creation of large-scale temporary installations with a strong visual impact and wide-reaching public involvement. Her work is inspired by and replicating objects found in nature and science – fun, playful, animated and atmospheric works, often exhibited as part of outdoor festivals and light trails within heritage, cultural and garden sites. Her gigantic picnics, illuminated teapots, colossal hummingbirds, floating structures of coloured fabrics have been seen in many iconic sites throughout the UK such as Kew Gardens, Blenheim Gardens, Alexandra Palace and in Italy.
Examples of community projects include:
Designer and lead artist for the Boishaki Mela celebratory parade (from 2016 to 2019) in Tower Hamlets, working with Bangladeshi community groups, local schools and youth centres to create themed decorations/ costumes and floats.
Providing training to artists from Jun Mo Generation, cultural arts organization promoting Eastern cultural arts in Hackney, in the creation of large scale artworks for Hackney Carnival 2022
Float decoration for the Lord Mayors Parade in 2020, 2021 and 2022, working across many Tower Hamlet schools. The last float was made entirely from recycled fabric, drawing on the local history of the weave trade and linking to the national curriculum through numeracy.
Working with participants from Youth Homelessness Charity Accumulate to design and make large scale banners for Alexandra Palace’s East Wing opening celebration, developing lifelong skills such as fabric printing and sewing.
Currently working on the ‘Tapestry of Imperfection’, a large collaborative artwork about invisible illnesses, which will be created with participants from HIV Charity Body&Soul in Islington, open workshops at The Albany Theatre and Waldron Health Centre, to be toured as part of the upcoming show The War Inside.
Links: www.cristinaottonello.art
Insta: @cristina.otto.art
