Today we’d like to introduce you to Pauli Ochi.
Pauli, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I grew up in Sun Valley, Idaho, which is a small ski town. My parents had a contemporary art gallery there. They built this amazing space and brought in artists from all over. Growing up we had access to great artists, but didn’t live in a traditional art center; it was a unique way to fall in love with art. My sister and I ran around the gallery when we were little and then worked there in the summers when we were older; one artist I still work with remembers me printing her labels when I was 14. It was probably inevitable that I would end up in the business. I majored in Art History at Colgate University and then moved to New York for a couple years after graduating. There I worked for an artist, an artist residency, and a gallery in Chelsea before going back to Sun Valley to work at the gallery there. I then moved to LA a few years ago for grad school, and opened Ochi Projects after that in 2015.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I feel so lucky for things to have gone the way they have so far, but as I’m sure anyone who has done it knows, nothing about running a small business is a smooth road. I’d say my biggest challenges have centered around time and resource allocation and striking a balance between working on the business and in the business.
Ochi Projects – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Ochi Projects is a contemporary art gallery located in Mid-City. We work with emerging and mid-career artists, many of whom live and work in Los Angeles. Upcoming over the next several months will be solo shows with LA-based artists Molly Larkey, Erin Morrison and Rives Granade. We do shows every five to seven weeks in LA and then I also program two or three shows a year at the gallery in Sun Valley, Idaho.
I’m most proud of my artists. I think it’s a brave thing to commit your life to being an artist.
I think what sets the gallery apart is the personalities involved. The space and its history in Sun Valley is also special.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Opening the space in LA. I went back and forth about it for a long time before I got up the courage to finally do it. We just passed the two-year mark.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3301 W Washington Blvd.
- Website: www.ochiprojects.com
- Phone: 323 641 7177
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @ochiprojectsla
Image Credit:
Rives Granade, Red Poem, install shot, 2015
Karolina Maszkiewicz, install shot, 2016
Zio Ziegler, temporary mural, 2016
Lilian Martinez, Mystery, Feelings, Internet, install shot, 2016
Ariel Herwitz, A Crack, A River, A Chasm, A Sliver, install shot, 2016
Zio Ziegler, Untitled Art Fair, Miami Beach, install shot, 2016
Lorien Stern, Stardust, install shot, 2017
Untitled Art Fair, San Francisco, install shot, 2017
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