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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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Painting, Spiritus, Tarek

Spiritus

Tarek

Painting - 60 x 60 x 3 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 1.2 inch

$3,576

Painting, Veritas, Tarek

Veritas

Tarek

Painting - 70 x 70 x 3 cm Painting - 27.6 x 27.6 x 1.2 inch

$4,172

Painting, Oceania Games, Tarek

Oceania Games

Tarek

Painting - 65 x 81 x 3 cm Painting - 25.6 x 31.9 x 1.2 inch

$3,576

Painting, America Games, Tarek

America Games

Tarek

Painting - 65 x 81 x 3 cm Painting - 25.6 x 31.9 x 1.2 inch

$3,576

Painting, Propaganda, Tarek

Propaganda

Tarek

Painting - 46 x 55 x 2 cm Painting - 18.1 x 21.7 x 0.8 inch

$1,013

Print, Portrait, Max Papart

Portrait

Max Papart

Print - 33 x 23.5 x 0.05 cm Print - 13 x 9.3 x 0 inch

$596

Painting, Le ciel est bleu, Tarek

Le ciel est bleu

Tarek

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

$417

Sculpture, October, Pinto

October

Pinto

Sculpture - 41 x 8 x 5 cm Sculpture - 16.1 x 3.1 x 2 inch

$1,073

Sculpture, Taureau 1, Julien Cuny

Taureau 1

Julien Cuny

Sculpture - 60 x 50 x 35 cm Sculpture - 23.6 x 19.7 x 13.8 inch

$1,669

Painting, Chuuut, Zafi

Chuuut

Zafi

Painting - 38 x 38 x 1 cm Painting - 15 x 15 x 0.4 inch

$1,431

Painting, Les 3 saltimbanques, Zafi

Les 3 saltimbanques

Zafi

Painting - 150 x 150 x 4 cm Painting - 59.1 x 59.1 x 1.6 inch

$17,286

Painting, Même pas peur, Zafi

Même pas peur

Zafi

Painting - 200 x 200 x 2 cm Painting - 78.7 x 78.7 x 0.8 inch

$27,419

Fine Art Drawings, Divinité 10, Dasz Panda

Divinité 10

Dasz Panda

Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

$954

Fine Art Drawings, Divinité 13, Dasz Panda

Divinité 13

Dasz Panda

Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

$954

Painting, Life, cObo

Life

cObo

Painting - 81.3 x 61 x 2.5 cm Painting - 32 x 24 x 1 inch

$1,669

Painting, One Head Up, cObo

One Head Up

cObo

Painting - 99.1 x 78.7 x 2.5 cm Painting - 39 x 31 x 1 inch

$2,742

Sculpture, Divinité V, Dasz Panda

Divinité V

Dasz Panda

Sculpture - 77 x 22 x 7 cm Sculpture - 30.3 x 8.7 x 2.8 inch

$834

Painting, Pensées cachées, Jéko

Pensées cachées

Jéko

Painting - 100 x 81 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 31.9 x 0.8 inch

$3,100

Painting, Masque blanc, Tarek

Masque blanc

Tarek

Painting - 15 x 15 x 2 cm Painting - 5.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inch

$72

Sculpture, Bouquetin, Julien Cuny

Bouquetin

Julien Cuny

Sculpture - 40 x 30 x 25 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 11.8 x 9.8 inch

$1,013

Painting, Spirit Mask, Tarek

Spirit Mask

Tarek

Painting - 41 x 24 x 3 cm Painting - 16.1 x 9.4 x 1.2 inch

$453

Sculpture, Skate mask marron, Tarek

Skate mask marron

Tarek

Sculpture - 50 x 22 x 3 cm Sculpture - 19.7 x 8.7 x 1.2 inch

$536

Print, Druckchen, Robert Combas

Druckchen

Robert Combas

Print - 65 x 65 x 1 cm Print - 25.6 x 25.6 x 0.4 inch

$6,199

Print, Enigme, Frederic Amat

Enigme

Frederic Amat

Print - 56 x 76 x 0.02 cm Print - 22 x 29.9 x 0 inch

$954

Painting, Musiciens, Max Rovira

Musiciens

Max Rovira

Painting - 130 x 81 x 2.5 cm Painting - 51.2 x 31.9 x 1 inch

$5,007

Print, Visage, Antoni Clavé

Visage

Antoni Clavé

Print - 73 x 54 cm Print - 28.7 x 21.3 inch

$3,815 $3,052

Print, Table, Le Corbusier

Table

Le Corbusier

Print - 56 x 45.5 x 0.2 cm Print - 22 x 17.9 x 0.1 inch

$2,384

Painting, No que No, Patopalomo

No que No

Patopalomo

Painting - 70 x 50 x 0.24 cm Painting - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch

$668

Painting, Trifulca, Patopalomo

Trifulca

Patopalomo

Painting - 50 x 70 x 0.24 cm Painting - 19.7 x 27.6 x 0.1 inch

$668

Painting, Rupestre, Jane Grieco

Rupestre

Jane Grieco

Painting - 124 x 148 x 0.1 cm Painting - 48.8 x 58.3 x 0 inch

$1,431

Painting, Fields, Stéphane Foucaud

Fields

Stéphane Foucaud

Painting - 112.5 x 99.5 x 4 cm Painting - 44.3 x 39.2 x 1.6 inch

$2,557

Painting, Piwi, Perrotte

Piwi

Perrotte

Painting - 60 x 60 x 1.5 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 0.6 inch

$3,576

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