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“Only Dreaming,
Easter Eve”
Primitivism is, in short, the opinion that life was better or more moral during the early stages of mankind or among primitive peoples (or children) and has deteriorated with the growth of civilization. It is a response to the perennial question of whether the development of complex civilizations and technologies has benefited or harmed mankind. From primitivism springs the romanticized ideal of the Noble savage, as being a more worthy, more noble being than civilized man.
Primitive and/or Naďve Art Defined:
Work of artists in sophisticated societies who lack or reject formal training. Naive artists, not to be confused with hobbyists, create with the same passion as trained artists but without formal knowledge of methods. Naive works are often extremely detailed, with a tendency toward the use of brilliant, saturated colors and a characteristic absence of perspective, which creates the illusion of figures floating in space. Well-known naive artists include Henri Rousseau and Grandma Moses.
Source: Britannica.com; Britannica Concise Encyclopedia.
“Outsider Art”
The term outsider art was coined by art critic Roger Cardinal in 1972 as an English synonym for art brut (French for "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 Naďve art makers who were never institutionalized. Typically, those labeled as outsider artists have little or no contact with the mainstream art world or art institutions. Often, 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). The term is sometimes misapplied as a catch-all marketing label for art created by people outside the mainstream "art world," regardless of their circumstances or the content of their work.
In 1991, the first and only such organization dedicated to the study, exhibition and promotion of outsider art was formed in Chicago: Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art. Chicago is often recognized for its concentration of self taught and outsider artists, among them -- Henry Darger, Joseph Yoakum, Lee Godie, William Dawson, David Philpot, and Wesley Willis. Intuit maintains a non-profit museum, open to the public, which features exhibitions of art by intuitive, outsider, and self taught artists.
Source: Wikipedia;
Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art
“
Artists in Residence”
There’s Nothing Primitive about Primitive Art
Primitive art has no interest in realism. Its purpose is to engage with the spirit world. The images, masks and statues suitable for dealing with spirits are not made according to the laws of perspective. They are seen with the eye of magic.
Whatever the reason for the range of primitive art, the result is an unrivalled display of the power of the imagination. The basic subject, as in western sculpture, is the human body. But the tribal sculptor is liberated from the straitjacket of realism.
The artist’s ingredients may be limited to the parts of the body, but he/she constantly reassembles them in new dimensions and relationships. From a central axis of eyes, nose, mouth, navel and genital organs, to the peripheral cast list of hair, ears, arms, breasts, legs and buttocks, there is no predicting which of these elements will take the starring roles in any one production. Startling imbalance is restored to balance by the force of strong design.
It is hard to know whether a particular image may be intended to seem sad or terrifying (or neither, or even nothing), for this is a subjective matter on which an outsider may often be mistaken. But in these images and carvings there is no mistaking the energy and playfulness with which the human body is turned, by confident distortion, into such a gallery of wonderful creatures.
It is not surprising that Picasso, one of the most playful genius of the 20th century, is inspired by these fragmentations of dull reality to find a new direction of his own in cubism.
Whether and to what extent we should simplify our lives and get "back to basics" is a debate that has been going on since the invention of writing.
References Materials: History World; Museum of Primitive Art and Culture
Some Characteristics of Primitivism in Visual Art…
Primitivism is associated with:
* A concern with cultural phenomena -- particularly sexuality, madness, spiritual punishment, and violence.
Source: The history of Anthropological theory
“Landscape No. 2:
Landscapes Under the Hidden Moon”
Outsider Art and Honesty
"There is something about the immediacy, the honesty, the highly personal content of Outsider Art and artists that speaks directly to my spirit. I would rather be in a room or a yard full of Outsider Art and artists than one full of almost any contemporary mainstream gallery, museum or studio art.
I think that the reason this work has such an impact on me is because in it I can readily see the pure creative human impulse made manifest without the diluting and crippling effects of art history or formal training. I have spent much of my adult life finding ways to forget or overcome what I learned in my high school, college and graduate school art classes and what I learned by osmosis from the Fine Art magazine - book - gallery - museum world. I am firmly convinced that true expression occurs when the artist speaks directly from personal vision, experience, memory, intuition, obsession or compulsion rather than from or to popular ideals.
I have come to use the phrase Outsider Art to refer to the creative work of artists who are self-taught and/or those who, for a variety of reasons, are what I consider fortunately impervious to being taught how to make art. It now includes all of the following:
The naive, the innocent, the self-taught, the visionary, the intuitive, the eccentric; The schizophrenic, the developmentally disabled, the psychotic, the obsessive, the compulsive.
The raw and the pure, without the countless layers of training and cultural sophistication that afflicts most mainstream art, is what appeals to me…"
Source: Excerpts from Spyrock.com
"This image fits neatly with my research into power and greed and is based on Amanda Sharp, cofounder of Frieze Art Fair and this years outrageous search of audience bags when leaving the Fair. The words "Long Live and Thrive Capitalism" are from the painting, in banner form, by Mona Vatamanu and Florin Tudor who where exhibiting with the Andreiana Mihail Gallery at that London Frieze Art Fair 2009."
Interesting Links and Winks...
“Artistry of the Mentally Ill III (1922)”
ART
The Outsider Art Pages Featuring Reviews: Martin Ramirez, Bill Traylor
IN-BOX
“Respectfully!”
from = ago at ago.skenderovic@yahoo.fr
Referencing last week’s quote…“If death can fly, just for the love of flying, what might not life do, for the love of dying?" by Malcolm Lowry -- Mary’s Page Reader Timur Loskov writes:
“People in such cases so speak. It is perhaps in truly living that we will live, or perhaps just let us die. :)"
“Thanks for the answers to all of my questions :) I actually learn many new things on this page. Persevere to the end so that [the “page“] is not dismantled.”
from = Of karr
"I tried creating my first movie in front of my computer looking at my
book of my paintings. A difficult exercise!! I kept records of my work but forgot to mark ALL of the art and I can not remember who bought it or who I gave it to."
Ansgard has three digital art videos on You Tube at:
VIDEO ART
Quotes
“Live Boldly in an Uncertain World” ::: Harold S. Kushner :::
This page posted 9 November 2009
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