🎨Outsider Art Unit 8 – European Outsider Art: Key Artists & Trends

What's Outsider Art Anyway?

• Outsider Art refers to art created outside the mainstream art world by self-taught or naïve artists
• Often created by individuals on the margins of society (prisoners, the mentally ill, hermits, etc.)
• Characterized by raw, unconventional, and often highly personal styles and themes
• Not influenced by traditional art education, movements, or trends
• Term coined by art critic Roger Cardinal in 1972, inspired by Jean Dubuffet's concept of "Art Brut"
  • Art Brut translates to "raw art" or "rough art"
  • Dubuffet sought to collect and promote art untouched by culture and society
• Outsider artists often create compulsively, driven by inner visions or obsessions
• Works can be highly detailed, repetitive, or incorporate unconventional materials (found objects, blood, etc.)

European Outsider Art: The Basics

• European Outsider Art emerged in the early 20th century, particularly after World War I
• Influenced by the discovery of artworks created by patients in psychiatric hospitals
• Key regions include France, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
  • Each country developed distinct styles and approaches
• Major collections and exhibitions established in the 1920s and 1930s
  • Prinzhorn Collection in Germany
  • Dubuffet's Art Brut collection in Switzerland
• Gained wider recognition and appreciation in the post-World War II era
• Challenges traditional notions of artistic genius, creativity, and the role of the artist in society
• Continues to inspire and influence contemporary artists and art movements

Key Players: Who's Who in European Outsider Art

• Adolf Wölfli (1864-1930): Swiss artist, created intricate drawings and collages while institutionalized
• Aloïse Corbaz (1886-1964): Swiss artist, known for vibrant, sensual, and often erotic works
• August Natterer (1868-1933): German artist, created detailed, apocalyptic visions and religious themes
• Ferdinand Cheval (1836-1924): French postman, spent 33 years building the "Ideal Palace" from stones collected on his routes
• Friedrich Schröder-Sonnenstern (1892-1982): German artist, created provocative, satirical, and sexually charged works
• Madge Gill (1882-1961): British artist, produced thousands of intricate ink drawings guided by a spirit she called "Myrninerest"
• Scottie Wilson (1891-1972): Scottish artist, known for his intricate, symmetrical pen and ink drawings

Styles and Techniques: How They Did It

• Outsider artists often develop unique, self-taught techniques and styles
• Common materials include pencil, pen and ink, watercolor, and found objects
• Detailed, obsessive, and repetitive mark-making is a hallmark of many Outsider artists
  • Adolf Wölfli's dense, intricate compositions
  • Madge Gill's flowing, automatic drawings
• Bold, unconventional use of color and form
  • Aloïse Corbaz's vibrant, expressive figures
  • Friedrich Schröder-Sonnenstern's shocking, surreal imagery
• Incorporation of text, symbols, and personal iconography
  • August Natterer's cryptic, religious inscriptions
  • Scottie Wilson's recurring motifs and characters
• Environmental and architectural works
  • Ferdinand Cheval's "Ideal Palace" constructed from found stones and concrete
  • Nek Chand's "Rock Garden" in India, built from industrial waste and discarded materials

Major Themes: What Were They Thinking?

• Outsider Art often explores deeply personal, psychological, and spiritual themes
• Religious and apocalyptic visions are common
  • August Natterer's detailed renderings of the Book of Revelation
  • Howard Finster's sprawling "Paradise Garden" and biblical paintings
• Sexual desire, frustration, and fantasy
  • Aloïse Corbaz's sensual, romantic depictions of lovers and historical figures
  • Henry Darger's epic, violent, and often disturbing "Realms of the Unreal"
• Trauma, mental illness, and inner turmoil
  • Adolf Wölfli's elaborate, fictitious autobiographies and musical compositions
  • Madge Gill's automatic drawings guided by her spirit "Myrninerest"
• Social commentary and political satire
  • Friedrich Schröder-Sonnenstern's provocative, anti-establishment works
  • Scottie Wilson's whimsical, yet pointed critiques of power and authority
• Utopian visions and imaginary worlds
  • Ferdinand Cheval's "Ideal Palace" as a manifestation of his architectural dreams
  • A.G. Rizzoli's intricate, symbolic renderings of his "Mother Symbolically Represented"

Cultural Impact: Why It Matters

• Outsider Art challenges traditional notions of artistic training, genius, and creativity
• Expands the boundaries of what is considered "art" and who can be an "artist"
• Provides insight into the experiences and perspectives of marginalized individuals and communities
• Influences mainstream art movements and styles
  • Surrealism's interest in the subconscious and automatic drawing
  • Art Brut's celebration of raw, untrained creativity
• Raises questions about the relationship between art, mental health, and society
• Contributes to the destigmatization of mental illness and the recognition of the creative potential of all individuals
• Inspires contemporary artists to explore new techniques, materials, and themes
• Promotes the preservation and study of art created outside the mainstream art world

Case Studies: Deep Dives into Specific Works

• Adolf Wölfli's "From the Cradle to the Grave" (1911)
  • 25,000-page illustrated narrative of Wölfli's imagined life as a saint and knight
  • Incorporates elements of autobiography, mythology, and musical composition
• Aloïse Corbaz's "Cleopatra" (1943)
  • Vibrant, sensual depiction of the Egyptian queen and her lover
  • Reflects Corbaz's fascination with history, romance, and her own sexual desires
• August Natterer's "Witch's Head" (1915)
  • Haunting, enigmatic portrait created during Natterer's institutionalization
  • Reflects his experiences with schizophrenia and religious delusions
• Henry Darger's "The Story of the Vivian Girls, in What Is Known as the Realms of the Unreal, of the Glandeco-Angelinian War Storm, Caused by the Child Slave Rebellion" (1910-1939)
  • 15,000-page epic novel with hundreds of accompanying illustrations
  • Depicts a violent, fantastical world populated by hermaphroditic children and monstrous creatures
• Madge Gill's untitled ink drawing (c. 1950)
  • Intricate, flowing composition created during one of Gill's automatic drawing sessions
  • Reflects her belief in the guidance of her spirit "Myrninerest" and her prolific creative output

Controversy and Debates: The Spicy Stuff

• The term "Outsider Art" itself is contested
  • Some argue it perpetuates the marginalization and othering of these artists
  • Alternatives include "self-taught art," "visionary art," and "art brut"
• The relationship between Outsider Art and mental illness is complex and often misunderstood
  • Not all Outsider artists have mental health conditions, and not all those with mental illness create art
  • Romanticization of mental illness as a source of creativity can be problematic
• Issues of consent, agency, and exploitation
  • Many Outsider artists create without the intention of public display or commercial sale
  • Posthumous discovery and promotion of their work raises ethical questions
• Appropriation and influence on mainstream art
  • Some argue that the mainstream art world's fascination with Outsider Art is a form of cultural appropriation
  • Others see it as a valuable form of cross-pollination and inspiration
• The role of collectors, curators, and institutions
  • Outsider Art's entry into the commercial art market and institutional collections is controversial
  • Concerns about the commodification and decontextualization of these deeply personal works
• Inclusion and representation in the art historical canon
  • Outsider Art has often been excluded from traditional art historical narratives
  • Growing recognition of its significance and influence on modern and contemporary art