Othelo Gervacio
Portrait and interview by Todd Jordan
Othelo Gervacio’s recent show at Fuse Gallery in New York City was a clear reminder that the guy is into darkness. Religious icons, intricate skeletons, and the blackest paint make up his current body of work. Recently I caught up with Othelo in hopes of shining some light into those depths.
Todd Jordan: Hello hello.
Othelo: Whatuuuuup.
TJ: You arrived to our chat interview early.
OG: Am I too early? I can wait in the chat lobby if you want.
TJ: Not at all but this feels pretty nerdy I must say.
OG: Yeah it does.
TJ: We will keep it short and sweet then.
OG: Whatever’s cool with you bra.
TJ: First I want to say that your show was really rad. really though. For real. and I had been seeing some stuff that you had done really randomly and sporadically on tee shirts or yours or Lele’s zines or whatever. But to see it all together in one place, on those walls, i was like “damn. Othelo is fuckin sick.” do you think a lot of people felt this way or am I just less in the know? Have you shown before the fuse show or have things just been trickling out like I thought?
OG: Dude! Thanks! I actually kind of just was making art here and there when I had time with no intention. And when I felt like something was cool enough – I would put it on the internet or give it to someone… eventually people kind of new I was making art, but not exactly sure what it was. I made my own zine once I compiled a good amount of stuff to pick through and gave those out to friends – Erik from Fuse and Leo Fitz being two of them, which long-story-short lead to the show at Fuse.
TJ: Do you have any music on right now?
OG: Yes! Magnus pelander (the singer from witchcraft)
TJ: Dang. I had to ask cause I feel like im on acid or some shit as im looking at your work and listening to the GZA right now.
OG: Ha ha! I usually listen to music when I paint and it kind of puts me in the zone. Sometimes I feel like I’m on acid when I’m doing that
TJ: I was going to ask you that. And I can kinda get the vibe that you’re not listening to the GZA when you paint. Am I mostly right about that?
OG: Yeahhhhhhh. I mean I think I was listening to ghost face not too long ago while I was painting but on the usual it’s different types of metal I suppose
TJ: Kind of thought so.
And do you scour through the daily newspapers and dig for those fucked up and deranged stories or do you just kind of browse and wait for those to jump off the page at you. I have a little clippings folder also. I think maybe we all do. But who was in jail for two weeks and turned into a lesbian because of it?
OG: Yeah – I kind of just buy them as I find them. I like looking through old shit in general. I have a day job as a designer, so I like to collect these types of things for reference. Not only that, but sometimes those little clippings inspire to make art! That lesbian shit was from a weird old porn magazine from the 70′s, so I’m assuming a woman with a really hairy vagina.
TJ: Ha ha! For sure. Unless she was waaaaay ahead of her time.
OG: Let’s be honest here… that shit was the style back then.
TJ: They don’t make em like they used to.
OG: Woo – a time before the landing strip.
TJ: Ha ha.
What about the Latin? For example “ti od em edam lived eht”. That is Latin right? And I don’t think its the first i’ve seen you use it in your work. Is there relevance? What does “ti od em edam lived eht” mean?
OG: You need to channel your inner demon brotha! It’s “the devil made me do it”, backwards – though I did take 2 years of Latin in college and don’t remember ANYTHING from it!
TJ: Wait! What? Fuck. I even asked my girl about that one. “Looks Latin to me” she said. Were pretty square here. I’m embarrassed.
OG: Dude! It is all good – I don’t even think the guy who bought it even knows that it said that! Really though – a straight laced dude who “liked the typography”
TJ: Ahhhhhh yes! Well the typography is great but I hope he finds this interview somehow. He may hang that one in a different place after.
OG: Yeah – me too. Hopefully he’s figured it out by now and doesn’t hate me
TJ: I don’t think there were any Jesus freaks at your show to begin with.
Lets end on some one worders… ready?
OG: Ready
TJ: Colors your paint?
OG: Black
TJ: Colors your tee?
OG: Black.
TJ: Colors your night?
OG: Black
TJ: Colors your lady?
OG: White.
TJ: who farted?
OG: me!