Outsider Art Inside Out / Print/Drawing: Broken (7)

Am I an Outsider Artist? If not, am I Inside? What's \o|utside and what's In? It's all Inside Out, these days.

I ponder this having just picked up Outsider Art by Colin Rhodes. He had to draw the line somewhere so he excludes 'the amateur artist whose practice is primarily recreational' - fair enough - he could hardly find never mind sift through all the art of us 'recreational' ones, could he? Still, I wonder about this exclusion. What is the Outsider if not an artist for whom creation is recreational? 

Here we dip a tentative toe into the choppy waters of definition. Outsider Art seems to be an officially designated thing, but by whom? And aren't those who decide members of an establishment to which Outsiders don't belong? So who are they to decide who belongs in the genre?

That's my problem with it; that it's a genre and, ironically, seems filled with a lot of works in a similar style. It's almost as if the artist must create in this style to fit their remit....the Outsider 'look' which, it  seems, must hint at a disturbed state of mind. 

You get the irony when I say that Art in the modern age is supposed to be made by 'outsiders' anyway. Supposed to be, that is, except that it's common for students today to only be at collage because their parents could afford the extortionate fees and, hey, since the YBAs it just might be a lucrative career! I get the impression Art is more of trendy career (they hope) choice nowadays. But what the hell do I know? Never having been inside an art college except to see the occasional finals show.

Outsider Art (official) depends on the old world to define itself, as is clear in Rhodes' book, which was written before the internet. But today, as much as that old establishment still exists, it no longer stands as the gauge against which all art is measured. It doesn't, honest, so don't worry that you haven't had a gallery show or sold work. Carry on regardless! That's my pep talk for the day, as if you need it.

Contemporary Outsider Art is visible all over the internet. You noticed? Perhaps you didn't think that's what you were seeing (hah-hah). It's in zines, independent press, online and yes, still in the rooms of those who are so Outside they don't even bother to show online. 

Back to the 'recreational' issue mentioned at the beginning. What else is art-making for the non-professional? Well, to me the word feels a little denigrating. My art means a lot to me. I would compare it to...knitting (?) in the 'recreational' category, except that I have a lot of respect for anyone who can knit, sew...er...make anything physical. Whether what they make can be called 'Art' is another matter, depending on the results and intention.

Anyway, here's to all the Outsiders., especially those not officially accepted into the fold.

Here's a print I made this morning...

Broken (7), RTomens, 2019