Movement Outsider Art

The term 'Outsider Art' was coined by Professor Roger Cardinal in 1972, who wanted an English term for “Art Brut," a French term literally meaning “raw art." This movement was initially named by French artist, Jean Dubuffet, who sought to describe a genre of art that explored polarised mental states, unorthodox ideas and illusions. Outsider art incorporates works created by artists without formal training, and who reject traditional artistic techniques. It is also heavily associated with children, mentally troubled artists who suffer with psychiatric disorders, socially reclusive individuals and misfits. 


Jean Dubuffet was inspired by Prinzhorn's 1921 book Bildnerei de Geisteskranken (Artistry of the Mentally ill) which included thousands of artworks by mentally ill patients. This influenced Dubuffet to collect his own selection of mentally ill-inspired art, and unlike Prinhorn's book, Dubuffet's selection also included works by social hermits and outsiders; celebrating the individuals forgotten by society. 


The surge in interest for Outsider Art grew from an increasing resentment towards the art world and extreme political ideologies. Artists during this period experienced and watched the atrocity caused by the World Wars, where false promises for a “better" quality of life shrouded these years. Additionally, basic human rights were widely disregarded during the war years, with barbaric and catastrophic philosophies such as Eugenics coming into practice. Artists sought to redefine and celebrate the individuals otherwise disregarded by society, honouring their supposed flaws and differences. The Outsider artists created a new way of seeing the humans failed by the war years. 


There isn't a particular style associated with Outsider art,  other than often fantastical depictions created by artists without formal training. In addition to this, artists do not usually refer to themselves as “Outsider Artists," it is a label usually given to the artist posthumously.  


In contemporary art, Outsider art continues to be explored today with festivals like The Outsider Art Fair which is dedicated to the movement. The Outsider Art Fair is an international exhibition that features artists associated with Outsider Art, and occurs in New York and Paris each year. 


Adolf Wölfli:  (1864–1930), Swiss artist Wölfi, spent a large proportion of his adult life in a psychiatric hospital. It was during his institutionalisation that he created most of his drawings and musical compositions.  


Jean Philippe Arthur Dubuffet: (1901 –1985) French painter and sculptor, Dubuffet founded the Outsider Art movement and embraced unconventional aesthetics and “low" art. 


Scottie Wilson: (1888 – 1972), known for his intricately detailed works, Wilson is considered the spearhead of the Outsider Art movement during the 20th century. His works were collected by both Jean Dubuffet and Pablo Picasso.  


Auguste Forestier: French sculptor and artist, Forestier was also confined to a psychiatric hospital for a number of years.  


Celebrate the misfits marginalised by society, with their works that evoke a wonder only found in childhood. Explore our Outsider Art-inspired artists on Artsper now, through the works of  Hector Peper, Jazzu and Joi Murugavell.

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Fine Art Drawings, Masque totemic #3, Tarek

Masque totemic #3

Tarek

Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 15 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 5.9 x 0 inch

$113

Print, Mohawks, Muriel Deumie

Mohawks

Muriel Deumie

Print - 60 x 60 x 1 cm Print - 23.6 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch

$1,780

Fine Art Drawings, Masque totemic #3, Tarek

Masque totemic #3

Tarek

Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 15 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 5.9 x 0 inch

$113

Fine Art Drawings, Masque totemic #1, Tarek

Masque totemic #1

Tarek

Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 15 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 5.9 x 0 inch

$113

Painting, Dreamscape 1, Ethan Newman

Dreamscape 1

Ethan Newman

Painting - 121.9 x 152.4 x 7.6 cm Painting - 48 x 60 x 3 inch

$5,000

Painting, Untitled, Ethan Newman

Untitled

Ethan Newman

Painting - 152.4 x 121.9 x 7.6 cm Painting - 60 x 48 x 3 inch

$5,000

Painting, Cabin Fever, Ethan Newman

Cabin Fever

Ethan Newman

Painting - 121.9 x 121.9 x 7.6 cm Painting - 48 x 48 x 3 inch

$4,500

Painting, CP-001, Ethan Newman

CP-001

Ethan Newman

Painting - 121.9 x 121.9 x 7.6 cm Painting - 48 x 48 x 3 inch

$4,500

Painting, Rhapsody, Ana Costov

Rhapsody

Ana Costov

Painting - 82 x 71.9 x 0.5 cm Painting - 32.3 x 28.3 x 0.2 inch

$3,200

Painting, Yellow Card, Toof

Yellow Card

Toof

Painting - 100 x 100 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

$5,339

Painting, L'écharpe, Julien Cuny

L'écharpe

Julien Cuny

Painting - 50 x 35 x 0.1 cm Painting - 19.7 x 13.8 x 0 inch

$214

Painting, Batman, Julien Cuny

Batman

Julien Cuny

Painting - 50 x 35 x 0.1 cm Painting - 19.7 x 13.8 x 0 inch

$214

Painting, Le cycliste, Julien Cuny

Le cycliste

Julien Cuny

Painting - 50 x 35 x 0.1 cm Painting - 19.7 x 13.8 x 0 inch

$214

Painting, La casquette, Julien Cuny

La casquette

Julien Cuny

Painting - 50 x 35 x 0.1 cm Painting - 19.7 x 13.8 x 0 inch

$214

Painting, The lady, Dr. Love

The lady

Dr. Love

Painting - 40 x 30 x 0.2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

$107

Painting, Lady love, Dr. Love

Lady love

Dr. Love

Painting - 40 x 30 x 0.2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

$107

Painting, Lady blue, Dr. Love

Lady blue

Dr. Love

Painting - 40 x 30 x 0.2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

$107

Painting, Woman face, Dr. Love

Woman face

Dr. Love

Painting - 40 x 30 x 0.2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

$107

Painting, Humanos, Juan Canals

Humanos

Juan Canals

Painting - 50.5 x 38.5 cm Painting - 19.9 x 15.2 inch

$1,053

Painting, Carnaval, Zwy Milshtein

Carnaval

Zwy Milshtein

Painting - 57 x 76 x 1 cm Painting - 22.4 x 29.9 x 0.4 inch

$3,322

Sculpture, Naissance, Raâk

Naissance

Raâk

Sculpture - 40 x 40 x 20 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 15.7 x 7.9 inch

$2,135

Painting, New York 65, Spaco

New York 65

Spaco

Painting - 40 x 33 x 3 cm Painting - 15.7 x 13 x 1.2 inch

$297

Painting, Love girl shadow, Spaco

Love girl shadow

Spaco

Painting - 40 x 33 x 3 cm Painting - 15.7 x 13 x 1.2 inch

$297

Painting, Skull Taipei, Spaco

Skull Taipei

Spaco

Painting - 40 x 40 x 3 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 1.2 inch

$332

Painting, Portrait Susana, Conde H

Portrait Susana

Conde H

Painting - 40 x 30 x 0.3 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

$1,068

Painting, Portrait Asun, Conde H

Portrait Asun

Conde H

Painting - 52 x 38 x 0.3 cm Painting - 20.5 x 15 x 0.1 inch

$1,305

Design, N°20, Alicia Lasne

N°20

Alicia Lasne

Design - 43 x 47 x 1 cm Design - 16.9 x 18.5 x 0.4 inch

$712

Design, N°26, Alicia Lasne

N°26

Alicia Lasne

Design - 35 x 45 x 0.5 cm Design - 13.8 x 17.7 x 0.2 inch

$712

Design, N°12, Alicia Lasne

N°12

Alicia Lasne

Design - 64 x 57 x 0.5 cm Design - 25.2 x 22.4 x 0.2 inch

$890

Painting, Les Larmes, Claude Serrile

Les Larmes

Claude Serrile

Painting - 130 x 97 x 2.5 cm Painting - 51.2 x 38.2 x 1 inch

$4,627

Fine Art Drawings, Genetics, Shota Imerlishvili

Genetics

Shota Imerlishvili

Fine Art Drawings - 61 x 86 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 24 x 33.9 x 0 inch

$2,966

Painting, Mask singer, PyB

Mask singer

PyB

Painting - 40 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

$261

Painting, Skull colors, PyB

Skull colors

PyB

Painting - 30 x 30 x 2 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

$225

Painting, Hondo Pesar, Patopalomo

Hondo Pesar

Patopalomo

Painting - 100 x 70 x 0.14 cm Painting - 39.4 x 27.6 x 0.1 inch

$1,424

Painting, Untitled, Derek Aylward

Untitled

Derek Aylward

Painting - 60.96 x 45.72 x 2.54 cm Painting - 24 x 18 x 1 inch

$8,496

Painting, Pixeliseando, Patopalomo

Pixeliseando

Patopalomo

Painting - 64 x 48 x 1 cm Painting - 25.2 x 18.9 x 0.4 inch

$1,091

Painting, Ladrando, Patopalomo

Ladrando

Patopalomo

Painting - 120 x 80 x 3 cm Painting - 47.2 x 31.5 x 1.2 inch

$2,966

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