Bad Otis Link is a self-taught Los Angeles-based artist known for his raw, subversive style and deep roots in the early Southern California punk scene. Emerging in the late 1970s, he became a key figure in underground culture through his art, screen-printed t-shirts, flyers, and merchandise for iconic bands, punk clubs and independant concert promoters including Goldenvoice Concerts, the Circle Jerks, Red Hot Chili Peppers, TSOL, Danzig, and Social Distortion to name a few.
Link’s work blurs the lines between visual art, performance, and provocation—ranging from grotesque cartoon illustrations to controversial projects like True Life Murderers Trading Cards, which drew widespread media attention and censorship. His practice spans illustration, puppetry, filmmaking, music, and street-level printmaking, often combining dark humor with biting cultural critique.
A longtime friend and collaborator with drummer Chuck Biscuits, Link toured with the Circle Jerks in the early ’80s and with many other bands. Otis continues producing art, hand-crafted merch etc. for "a world delightfully out of order". His influence is etched into punk rock’s visual DNA.
Today, Bad Otis Link continues to create and exhibit annually at the Coachella Music and Art Festival with his long time friend Gary Tovar at the Tovar and Otis tent, come say hello.
Otis continues sharing his evolving body of work via social media and pop-up shows. His outsider ethos and DIY legacy remain vital threads in the fabric of American counterculture
This site is run by Otis and his son Dave.
Otis continues sharing his evolving body of work via social media and pop-up shows. His outsider ethos and DIY legacy remain vital threads in the fabric of American counterculture
This site is run by Otis and his son Dave.