Mariella Otto (b. 1990, Sweden), lives and works in Malmö, Sweden. Her work often encompasses the scenographic or scripted, rendering archive materials, historic events and references from literature or cinema, into narratives which point to the present. Otto´s practice of moving images, sculptural elements and printed matter, deals with consciousness in relation to image-making, image-making in relation to political imaginaries, as well as systems within society, language and technology.

Otto´s work has been shown at Malmö Konsthall, Gothenburg International Biennial (GIBCA), Inter Arts Center, (Malmö), Hangar (Lisbon), Skissernas Museum (Lund), Splab Gallery (Aarhus), Bloc Projects (Sheffield), amongst others. Commissioned works include Aber Press (Text; Lux 03, 2021), Seaport 2035 (Online publishing, curated by Harun Morrisson, 2022), Futures Prototype (Video installation for Media Evolution, Malmö, funded by Vinnova, 2022) and Raumdeuter Radio (Sound, curated by Joe Rowley, 2021). In 2023 Otto received a two-year working grant from the Swedish Arts Grants Committee. She received her BFA from The Bergen Academy of Art & Design (2016) and her MFA from Malmö Art Academy (2019).  

During her residency at AiR 351, Otto will develop a new video work, departing from the camera view-finder, contemplating the choreography and selectivity in vision and film making, while also elaborating on Michel Serres concept of ‘black boxes’, Gilles Deleuze’s ‘crystal-image’ and the writings of Clarice Lispector. In addition to the production of the video, Otto will work on a series of scenographic ‘sets’, along with a new publication under the same title as the video, Envelopes of stone.