As I entered the maze of gallery exhibits at 7 West, dodging gesticulating walking sticks and a slew of Iris Apfel lookalikes, I was immediately seduced by fluttering cereal box tapestries and blunt paintings. The Sanford and Smith Outsider Art Fair, now in its 19th year, is the premier venue to take in both new and established talents from the world of untrained artists. The variety of work is astounding, covering a range of mediums and styles. Drab recycled skateboards easily coexist with hewn butcher whirligigs hacking at a leg of lamb, cardboard sculptures of Corvettes and bedazzling rugs made from scraps. Big names, like the fantastical Henry Darger and Bill Traylor, exist alongside contemporary makers such as Japanese felt artist Junko Yamamoto, who creates charming abstract objects in the likeness of broccoli, bandages and cheese.
What’s most notable is the range of individual stories behind the works, though they’re often painful to contemplate — tales of orphaning, mental illness, poverty and imprisonment. This urge to express oneself, whether from some manic compulsion or merely the need to create utilitarian beauty at home, is a brutal necessity native to any artistic temperament. The rush of raw voices, devoid of self-referential pandering and immune to the art industry’s pressures, is a refreshing alternative to the traditional hierarchy of the art industry. Self-expression is a powerful tool.
Take in a menagerie of honest beauty and meet some of the artists this weekend, February 11-13, 2011, at the Outsider Art Fair in New York.
What defines outsider art in your eyes?
128 comments
Sign in to add your ownvKnit says:
wow! xox
1 year ago
KeepEvolving says:
What a glowing and diverse mix of beautiful expressions!
1 year ago
acuriousbrood says:
Fantastic! What I love about outsider art is the unabandoned freedom with which the art is created...no preconceived notions of what art should be.
1 year ago
PlumeandPetals says:
Amazing works!~ Thanks for enlightening us =) http://www.PlumeandPetals.etsy.com http://www.PlumeandPetals.blogspot.com
1 year ago
mazedasastoat says:
Wow, that red & white jacket will enable his friends to find him in the crowd! :-)
1 year ago
stepbackink says:
Outside art is what make ppl like me very happy I am so glad because I am one untrainable artist :) I love the mix so creative. :)
1 year ago
beatyboutique says:
Isn't all art "outsider"
1 year ago
accentonvintage says:
What a unique art show! Would love to see it!
1 year ago
studiopainters says:
that is hot.
1 year ago
rarebeasts says:
stunning works!
1 year ago
phunkygemini says:
@mazedasastoat--lol I really admire a man comfortable in wild clothing. :)
1 year ago
carousel2 says:
this art = :)
1 year ago
kjgrigoriadis says:
Great Art Mix!!!!
1 year ago
kmariedesignz says:
Love it!
1 year ago
kmariedesignz says:
Very unique
1 year ago
jillianguarco says:
All for art, and art for all!
1 year ago
TwinkleStarCrafts says:
Love me an art fair!
1 year ago
artizen says:
I think of outsider art as that created by people who havent undertaken a specialised training in art/ a conventional route and are therefore outside the 'establishment'. I hope this includes me! It used to be... 25 years ago ...that we werent considered 'proper' artists, whereas now I think we are recognised and valued.
1 year ago
HibouCards says:
that's great! I only wish I was actually in NY to see this in person!
1 year ago
karensartworld says:
Outsider art makes this artist feel accepted like an insider..
1 year ago
ameliamelia says:
A tricky question, and maybe ultimately the answer will always be subjective. To me, outsider art comes from a place uninfluenced by a contemporary art psyche-outside of its community and an artist at least mostly unaware of what is being created around them. And certainly an honesty as you said. That might be the most defining quality, and one that is hard to come by. Thanks for the thoughtful post!
1 year ago
MegansMenagerie says:
Wow...amazing!
1 year ago
blueskyclouds says:
I adore outsider art...and would LOVE to be able to go to this Art Fair...so glad you are able to give us a glimpse...can't wait to explore in detail......
1 year ago
ThePolkadotMagpie says:
What define's Art in my mind? Something, be it visual, audio, or conceptual that makes me a different person after I have experienced it.
1 year ago
karensartworld says:
You are welcome.What I guess I was trying to get at is the outsider artist ,although somewhat untouched by the artscene around us, intuitively is creative in his/her own way. Isn't that what art strives toward anyway, whether you are well trained or not?
1 year ago
foursoftpawz says:
love it!
1 year ago
jibbyandjuna says:
Reminds of of the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore.
1 year ago
riverwoodprimitives says:
Very cool!
1 year ago
withachanceof says:
this is amazing! i would love to go there!
1 year ago
BeaumontStudio says:
i always look forward to your posts Alison! @thepolkadotmagpie - i find your definition of art fascinating! I am wish to hear your experiences with life-changing art!
1 year ago
theroyal says:
art good
1 year ago
TripleGemini says:
Thanks for the sharing this, I’m a huge fan of many artists and organizations represented in this faire. My gripe is not for this article, but for the term "outsider art". It establishes a hierarchy of in-ness, that people with disabilities or mental illness, or another type of otherness require an altogether different category and forum for showing their artwork. It seems to imply a problem with integrating this work with other “insider artâ€. This is very unstable ground metaphorically. My question is this: what would be lost (and for whom) if the word outsider was removed from outsider art?
1 year ago
ElenaMary says:
I am so jealous as have always wanted to go to the Outsider Fair and have never gotten there. I am a big fan of outsider art. My son, Noah Erenberg, is a true outsider artist and if he lived in NYC he would no doubt be represented in the Fair. Check out his art too: http://www.etsy.com/shop/SiffErenbergStudio?ref=pr_shop_more
1 year ago
TubeHeaven says:
i think outsider art is art made by those who don't worry about impressing or proving themselves to anyone. i wish i could create (and live) without the pressure of performing. it seems like an enlightened place.
1 year ago
ElenaMary says:
I can answer this question easily..many of these artists are extremely eccentric, some have developmental differences...most cannot market their own art. A Fair such as this is the best place for collectors of this work ( and there are many) to see much of it all in one place and many artists will sell their work here. "Outsider art" may not be the best term to describe this work but it works because the collector base knows where to go to find the work.
1 year ago
necklush says:
love it! check out http://www.cargofolkart.com/ this was a gallery from my hometown where i learned all about brut art... it's the purest form of art! thanks for this post- can't wait to see this exhibit!
1 year ago
Parachute425 says:
Out is in. Great stuff.
1 year ago
RaspberryBowtique says:
Wow! wish I am in NY so I can see them in person... love the red jacket! cool!
1 year ago
tripperdungan says:
Wow there's some really great stuff here. Outsider art can be really beautiful and inspiring.
1 year ago
TripleGemini says:
Thanks Elena, I see your point. I think its an interesting problem, because while potentially helpful to the artists, I think it can also be an impediment. For example, I see no reason why Judith Scott's work shouldn't be represented in any gallery in Chelsea, I wish I made sculpture half that interesting. I'm not necessarily for changing the fact that there is a faire dedicated to this work and I certainly see the importance of marketing help for artists who need it. I just think language is important and that it can either act to further segregate us or not. As someone who has been involved in making, consuming artwork and also working in the disability and mental health community for the last 10 years, I can speak for some of the people I know in saying that they don't wish to be called outsiders. While it might put a small burden on collectors in terms of finding information via the regular routes, I think it would be more appropriate to not speak of people as outsiders, unless they've asked to be referred to as such.
1 year ago
Envy2 says:
Outsider Art...My own definition would be an Artist that is outside the box looking in. Using his or her talents to create art that does not adhere to any particular style or design. In other words the Artist thinks out of the box.
1 year ago
Mclovebuddy says:
great one. that's some equisite work. i've never really understood that delineation, insider vs. outsider art. the best of both are highly refined. the whole idea of gallery representation or belonging to an academy or a degree in art often seems like a moot point, nowadays.
1 year ago
ElenaMary says:
TripleGemini..Judith Scott's back story is as interesting as her art and if one did not know her history her work would not be as compelling..I spent a long time watching her at work in Oakland and it was a revelation. In my son's case he objects to being in exhibitions which feature only artists with "disabilities".. he is always up for an "outsider show" as he definitely identifies with eccentric people. Outsider is "cool" in many circles and in the "outsider world" that I know the artists are completely comfortable being there.
1 year ago
mylenefoster says:
Thanks for bringing art to us in faraway lands where it would be otherwise inaccesible. Great work!
1 year ago
franz66 says:
Awesome! I love your blog... always fantastic choices and I never fail to be inspired. Thanks!
1 year ago
ChristinaThomasArt says:
I love getting to see different perspectives outside of the industry. I'm not one for hierarchy...especially because I live in LA where everything is about that and yet, it is all an illusion.
1 year ago
art4ear says:
I find "Outsider art" inspiring and refreshing. Thanks for the look.
1 year ago
SimpleeYou says:
Also check out the visionary art museum at Baltimore! You will love it!
1 year ago
breadandroses2 says:
Oh you lucky gal to visit in person! Reading the reviews in Maine Antique Digest doesn't even come close. Thanks for the heads up.
1 year ago
MeaganDonegan says:
so incredible! We have an amazing place here called Creative Growth, so good! Thank you, I really wanted to go, love the pictures!
1 year ago
4Gdesigns says:
sure wish someone would visit and share all the pics!!
1 year ago
DreamReignDesigns says:
like ONE piece of chocolate...whatta tease! wish i could be there to see it ALL!
1 year ago
Haverton says:
Great post! Wonder if Carlo Zinelli's work is represented there? Always been my favorite Outsider.
1 year ago
brahmanda says:
love it. fascinating question, awesome art.
1 year ago
girliepains says:
Bellisssssimo!
1 year ago
fuzzydetails says:
yes!!!
1 year ago
collectiblesatoz says:
Thanks for sharing.
1 year ago
shop1848 says:
LOVE it!!
1 year ago
frommylifetoyours says:
so cool wish I could be there.
1 year ago
OriginalWalls says:
Very COOL :)
1 year ago
aorta says:
i want to go to there.
1 year ago
PereLachaise says:
Wow. This article definitely raises ALOT of issues and deep discussions regarding the "ART WORLD" (and its associated cliques or "in crowds") how it functions, who is seen, who gets represented, who is lauded, genre categorization, etc., etc. WAY too much for one little comment..... So I am simply going to compliment Alison on a well-written piece !! The part about the "brutal necessity" to create could not have been more perfectly worded. Also, I really love the "hair truck" and the prints to the right of it. Thank you for this article.
1 year ago
revitalbookarts says:
thanx
1 year ago
chalkoholics says:
awesome entry, self expression is powerful indeed
1 year ago
beliz82 says:
Very unique art Thank you for sharing
1 year ago
gretchenmist says:
thanks for the tour :)
1 year ago
JesseMosher says:
nice
1 year ago
TickleKnitsandCrafts says:
Awesome concept! Thanks for making me aware of it.
1 year ago
liyimeng says:
coolï¼
1 year ago
perfectwear says:
cool stuff
1 year ago
KittyKittyGirl says:
Thank you so much for your wonderful description of the Outsider Art Fair and the photos. I went yesterday because my sister couldn't travel to the show but wanted to hear about it. You did a much better job than I ever could so I simply sent her a link to your blog. Keep it up!!
1 year ago
kelmartfindings says:
Sounds and looks fantastic from your pictures. Sure do wish I still lived in NYC. Thanks for sharing.
1 year ago
thepapermoonstudio says:
Love it..thanks for posting!
1 year ago
lavenderlemon says:
I love the chef ( or is it a butcher)? and i love that furry semi truck hahaha.
1 year ago
DarwinsDress says:
That truck is AWESOME! I miss NY! I heart NY!
1 year ago
MrsCraftyRVing says:
Freedom for the unthinking. Thats me unthinking - loving it... Expression is not only seen but felt!
1 year ago
sirikul says:
Nice! Thank you for sharing.
1 year ago
AmberGypsySky says:
Woah! Check out that dude's paisley jacket...very nice. I also like the hairy truck with the combs in it :)
1 year ago
meredithea says:
Right on. I really like that second one- the weaving. Great post. Thanks for sharing!
1 year ago
murphymae says:
Awesome, I wish I could have gone...such inspiration!
1 year ago
LANCERIKA says:
In the world we live today, Art means everything and anything goes...
1 year ago
lulusnest says:
So inspiring and yet beautifully wonderful. Thanks for sharing your true heart.
1 year ago
WoodlandCottage says:
Fascinating images and fascinating comments, too! Much intellectual food for me to chew on. Thanks, all for sharing!
1 year ago
ElenaMary says:
This catalogue is from a show I curated some years ago and features outsider artists from all over California..several of the artists in this catalogue are included in Alison's photos..great to see their more current work at the Art Fair: http://www.etsy.com/listing/62672670/radiant-spaces-private-domain-catalogue
1 year ago
judithbelloriginals says:
Thou art wonderful.
1 year ago
TheJoyofColor says:
IT's fantastic Alison , I whish i can see it myself It looks so colorful love th clatter. For me art is art outsider or not , Art is a form of expression , you can learn technique and learn art history but sometime the "raw" material is what catch your eye and heart. My mom worked with Mentaly retarded people on an exhebition and the works are stunning , exprossion and color wise in any standart.
1 year ago
HvZjewelry says:
Love it!
1 year ago
HvZjewelry says:
cool!!!
1 year ago
pinguim says:
Oh how I wish I were there!!
1 year ago
Bumbleweedz says:
whoaaa!!!
1 year ago
LoverlyVintage says:
Outsider= Non-academic. You have to pay through the nose for a degree and then you get to call yourself an Insider with a capital "I".
1 year ago
LoverlyVintage says:
or an Artist with a capital "A". I think of it like comparing wines...all are made from grapes; tasted blindly most cannot tell the difference. The appeal of one over the other is in the eye of the beholder!! Long live all ART!
1 year ago
easyklc says:
Thanks for a look into this fantastic exhibit. I will now plan my life around getting to it next year. Looks like it's not to be missed.
1 year ago
UglyBaby says:
I'm so jealous!
1 year ago
SugarCubeVintage says:
oh to be in nyc...
1 year ago
redbeadcat1 says:
You are now my favorite favorite!Looking for more pics in follow up."Outsider" fair, as in outside and a breath of fresh air-outside the box of society's expectations of what constitutes ART-or "outsider" as in renegade?All these would seem a compliment to any artist.The need to create, as intrinsic as eating and breathing is obvious and in some pieces breathtaking.Thanks for the view.
1 year ago
poorjimsvintage says:
Love it all. We like that we're not quite sure what we are looking at.
1 year ago
rraps says:
Brilliant! I love Outsider Art. Thanks for sharing this great event.
1 year ago
spiderwings says:
Outsider just means "not formally trained", but is frequently synonymous with "not mentally OK" (sometimes distinguished by being termed "art brut"). Which is why what I do is "visionary" and not "outsider". I'm balls-out nuts, just with a degree. Poe-tay-toe, poe-tah-toe. Art. Ahhhhhhhhrt. There's a dark, predatory element that show up at "visionary" and "outsider" art shows and gatherings though, looking to exploit "undiscovered" or "mentally different" artists who have a lot of talent but don't know what they're worth; I'd rather have the degrees and the legal knowledge to protect me from those (expletives). The art's great either way.
1 year ago
bmused says:
What an amazing exhibit! Thanks for sharing!
1 year ago
geminiriverrocks says:
I had never thought that "Outsider Art" limited itself to people with disabilities or mental illness, prisoners, etc. I've seen some wonderful work by people who experience various challenges, but sometimes it's just a matter that life hasn't allowed time or money for formal training - and yet the desire to express yourself creatively has to come out somehow. My conception of this art is defined more as Spiderwings' post. Just untrained - in the academic sense. Life is a good teacher all by itself.
1 year ago
texterial says:
Art is art. Some creative works move me to tears. Some pieces leave me speechless. Some pieces make me say, "huh?" I love it all and don't care what it is called, who made it, or how she was educated. Just keep it coming.
1 year ago
Thenibandquill says:
Thank you for sharing and making us all think "out of the box".
1 year ago
MarcellasExcess says:
The shot of the corridor full of artwork makes my heart happy!
1 year ago
artchicnj says:
I always thought the term 'outsider 'art referred to those who had no formal training. It isn't a very "complimentary" term though. If a person is an artist then thats what they are, regardless of the training they've had or not had
1 year ago
fairyland16 says:
Art from an untrained person, unfamiliar with the art world, or it's rules and techniques. They create what they want, when they want, however they want out, of whatever they want, simply because they just like something and are strongly moved to create. And, they don't know or care if anyone else likes it because they create for themselves alone in most cases. The result is lovely, childish, primitive... expressions of love, grief, sadness, and joy. I know personally that some of the outsider artists especially in very rural places don't know that what they're making is art. They know they're just making "something" they need to make. And the creation IS very personal for them. Some of them are very attached to their creations and hide them away and some don't give a crap what you do with it once they're done. Some are puzzled that anyone would pay money for what they make. Some of them ARE very childlike, and naive, uneducated, ignorant, and some are terribly smart but self-educated. Some of them are outright crazy, some are just true eccentrics. There are all kinds. I'm happy to have known many of these people.
1 year ago
fairyland16 says:
‎(I know all this about outsider artists because I used to hang out a lot at an outsider art gallery in Vicksburg Mississippi, the Attic Gallery. Outsider artists and their stories are just so interesting, and the owner Lesley Silver is like this kind art mama who finds and nurtures them and encourages them to show their work.)
1 year ago
blueberryblonde says:
wishing i was in NY right now...
1 year ago
Tirabaralla says:
This article is particularly dear to my heart as I started crafting as an healing therapy I didn't know about...it was the only thing that used to calm me down when I was in deep pain. This is very dear to me, TY for sharing.
1 year ago
SillyCybin says:
I love outsider art! I have been a painter ever since I was a young boy. I also have a habit of making art out of garbage, and pieces of broken swap meet relics. Usually my junk art only happens when I am in a bad spot, but my fear fuels my expression.
1 year ago
runningdevil says:
Outside art="untrained" Well yes, but I think in a lot of ways these artists had no opportunity to be trained.Especially when you consider the older artists... I live in the south, there ain't nothing here, at least where I am...no big art center, no real opportunities and no money to get those things but things are changing...but it stands that artists have to create, they have put out what they do, and many times if what they have to say means something to them it will mean something to others and the "art world" or whatever comes crashing "IN" on them...they are pulled from the "outside" into an establishment...and because humans will jump on a bandwagon "outside" becomes "inside" and it's all a big mess...art is art is art...
1 year ago
KATMAAN says:
My favorite pieces at the show were the works of the Electric Pencil. http://electricpencildrawings.com/
1 year ago
KATMAAN says:
If you like folk are, check this out: http://ferdinandabrader.blogspot.com/
1 year ago
KATMAAN says:
If you like folk are, check this out: http://ferdinandabrader.blogspot.com/
1 year ago
dianecostanza says:
I love the originality of it all, regardless of the reaction it invokes. I have been wanting to visit an art museum lately. Think I will.
1 year ago
kazza127 says:
Love, love LOVE this Art Fair! SO GLAD I WENT! :)
1 year ago
Valena2011 says:
I love the originality of it all, regardless of the reaction it invokes. I have been wanting to visit an art museum lately. Think I will.
1 year ago
HarmlessColor says:
Neat.
1 year ago
weirdamiga says:
Every piece in this fair is completely unexpected and emotive... Even the weirdest ones grow into you after a while. The crowd drawn to this Fair is pretty colorful as well. You'll find remarkable characters wandering about! (Among my favorites exhibitors are Yukiko Koide, Marion-Harris, and Creative Growth.)
1 year ago
avintagebride says:
Very cool love the truck..
1 year ago
duffybear says:
Thanks for the introduction to Traylor. I already knew about Darger and have found him incredibly imaginative and poignant. I recently stumbled across the photography of Ralph Eugene Meatyard, as well as the art of Elizabeth Layton. I also love James Hampton. These people are just so immersed in their interior worlds - it's wonderful.
1 year ago
MelissaBeeArtDenver says:
Really cool stuff!
1 year ago
ARIIEL says:
an art with no limitation...love it! thanks for sharing, Alison
1 year ago
kintique says:
So inspirational.
1 year ago
kintique says:
So inspirational.
1 year ago
Plinkjewelry says:
good stuff
1 year ago
julessabjewelry says:
Art to me is the expression of one's imagination - these clearly are imaginative folks and I just wish I could have gone to the show to experience the awe and wonder myself.
1 year ago
daisyvortex says:
Outsider art can really be blow my socks off.
1 year ago