Our Story

A great human adventure with the artists,
a passion shared with the public through the works

Dedicated to art as a synonym of pure creation, inventiveness, freedom of being and thought, Galerie Otéro was born from a love story, around art and artists.

Founded in 1999 by Jacques and Maria, place du Tilleul in SAINT-PAUL DE VENCE, the gallery was quickly perceived as “other”. From the outset, she chose to promote “real” artists, whether they were yesterday (art brut) or today (singular and contemporary art). Artists who all have intellectual honesty, sensitivity and evolving creativity in common. His choices ? Based on favorites, but also an interest dedicated to the artists themselves.

Since March 2019, the gallery continues its activities at 81 rue Grande, and remains dedicated to singular and derivative art, and contemporary art, beyond aesthetic and cultural codes.

In her new space, Maria Otéro continues to promote artists presented for twenty years, and others whose work has enriched the new exhibitions. Passionate from an early age by creation in all its forms, it is the work in all its creative dimension that interests her. What prevails is the emotion transmitted, an energy that is felt and needs nothing to be intercepted, neither speech, nor explanatory note. And it is through listening, exchanging, representations and feelings of the other, that Maria shares her passion with the public, and proposes to get to know herself better.

For an artist to be able to offer his universe and his label on a lasting basis, the hope of development, or simply survival, all this often depends on the consistency and confidence of a gallery owner. His work as an intermediary, a “smuggler”, and his perseverance are extremely precious.

The Gallery

As soon as you get inside, what predominates is the spirit that reigns there. In the diversity of the works presented, the evidence of a common thread prevails. A paradoxical cohesion, which is built on difference and yet generates unity. A thread woven more or less consciously. Ceres Franco also said it: “The link between all these works is me”. Everything goes through the look, an emotion aroused by the form, a color, the place.

A place where art and life are intimately mixed …