In his most recent piece for New York magazine, Jerry Saltz comments on the American Museum of Folk Art and its ongoing challenges. (As Jerry points out, the art is interesting but the space is a nightmare for viewing.) But this line was a particular keeper:
I love the museum because it’s committed to showing so-called “outsider art,” which I would define as art so visionary that the “real” art world can’t process it without relegating it to this ridiculous niche. (All great art is visionary; all great artists are in some way self-taught.)
Still recovering from the double barrel assault of current art world sensibilities that is Bravo’s “Work of Art” (better to remove the spaces and refer to it as workofart, or Work ‘o Fart?) and the brilliant but disturbing Exit Through the Gift Shop, I read this and it felt like someone had opened a window—a waft of clear, fresh, genuine air.
Hear. hear.
Great quote.
Have you been to the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore? We go whenever we get over that way. Talk about “more ‘real'”!
The other thing about that label “outsider”: Every visual artist who isn’t part of the group dubbed “in” — you know the ones, I’m sure — is an “outsider”. In poetry, it’s anyone who lacks a MFA.