Outsider Art Forums » General Discussion

andrew · **what exactly (or not) is \"outsider art\" ?** Posted: 3/27/2006 1:21:13 AM

just curious about the definition . Any one?

J M Hutson · **What exactly IS outsider art** Posted: 4/4/2006 11:22:55 PM

The term Outsider Art was coined by art critic Roger Cardinal in 1972 as an English synonym for Art Brut (which literally translates as "Raw Art" or "Rough Art"), a label created by French artist Jean Dubuffet to describe art created outside the boundaries of official culture; Dubuffet focused particularly on art by insane asylum inmates.

While Dubuffet's term is quite specific, the English term "Outsider Art" is often applied more broadly, to include certain self-taught or Naïve art makers who were never institutionalized. Typically, those labeled as Outsider Artists have little or no contact with the institutions of the mainstream art world and they often employ unique materials or fabrication techniques. Much Outsider Art illustrates extreme mental states, unconventional ideas, or elaborate fantasy worlds.

Outsider Art has emerged as a successful art marketing category (an annual Outsider Art Fair has taken place in New York since 1992); thus the term is sometimes misapplied as a catch-all marketing label for art created by people outside the "art world" mainstream, regardless of their circumstances or the content of their work.

(this is taken from the Wikipedia Encyclopedia-hope it helps! :D )

Posted: 9/12/2006 6:45:59 PM

Hi,
I'm french and in french i think it's "art brut": raw art and outsider art.
I'm not really in this category of painting (50% perhaps !). In french my paintings will be in the way of " art singulier". Someone knows the word in american ? Thanks for your answer.

Nicolas

**Re: what exactly (or not) is \"outsider art\" ?** Posted: 4/24/2010 1:18:04 AM

I always thought outsider art was just anti establishment art, even some people who have had art training paint in the outsider style (i think) need to find out.

**Re: what exactly (or not) is \"outsider art\" ?** Posted: 7/11/2010 2:58:08 PM

As for what I may or may not know, I think that the post by JM Hutson is the most complete and accurate. It seems there are also mainstream artists who are not selling well who are trying to be labeled as Outside Artists to sell more of their work since interest in Outside Art is becoming more common. I for one have never been in an institution, although I probably should be, and I am an untrained artist with an orignial style and that in itself puts me out of the mainstream, thank God!

**Re: what exactly (or not) is \"outsider art\" ?** Posted: 8/4/2010 1:35:34 AM

Just been reading the stuckist manifesto at stuckism .com, painting pictures without fear of making mistakes. Being untrained is a blessing in disguise for me as i dont have to impress anyone but myself, if i am happy with my work i think others will be happy to and that is what seperates outsiders from the art gallery mainstream who constantly crave public attention.

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what exactly (or not) is \"outsider art\" ?

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