Outsider Art Fair at Center 548

In its 23^rd year, the Outsider Art Fair once again delivered amazing works of art from around the world. The fair showcases artists of outsider art, an art form defined by a creator’s “lack of conditioning by art history or art world trends”, according to the fair’s website. As the fair increases in notoriety, so does the amount of featured works: galleries from all over the US, and even some from abroad, brought their best examples of this art style, making 2015’s fair better than the last.

Artists played with a variety of mediums, the most popular being graphite, crayon and pen. These elementary materials allow onlookers to see the creator’s hand: how hard they press down on the paper, how steady/exact the strokes are and the thoughts behind creating color. Subject matters, whether they be doodles or portraits of people, are furthered by each individual’s technique. This unique factor would arguably make it easier for the general public to enjoy each work; so often in modern art does a person become distanced by flawless surfaces or ambiguous shapes. Outsider art shows the human interaction and craft of each piece. 

This unique factor would arguably make it easier for the general public to enjoy each work, so often in modern art does a person become distanced by flawless surfaces or ambiguous shapes. Outsider art shows the human interaction and craft of each piece. Because the artist hasn’t been exposed to “traditional” methods or art trends, he or she creates purely on instinct, resulting in personal yet widely cherish-able pieces. 

Notable pieces were Ike Morgan’s series Washingtons, Hector Alonzo Benavides’s intense ink drawings, and Solange Knopf’s Women and Birds. However one of the most favored works was a series of color pencil drawings from the Waxahachie, Texas based Webb Gallery by Rev L.T. Thomas. In these few drawings on simple, notebook paper are various compositions of two men dressed in colorful suits and boater hats. The men have flat, cartoon-like faces and evoke a kind of childish spontaneity with their bright colors and placement on the paper. These speak to the true outsider art form, and as a result became a fair favorite. 

Overall the fair was a major success, and is a must-see for those who enjoy the untainted nature of outsider art. 

Katie George
Photos: @artinfodotcom (1), @mindybond (2), @lanna_martinez (3), @halfgallery (4)

For further information about the galleries and artists featured at Outside Art Fair visit here.