Outsider Art Fair 2013 – Top 3 Features.

Top 3 features of Outsider Art Fair 2013 – for the curious art-lover

1. What is the ‘Outsider Art Fair’?

Launched in 1993 by Stanford Smith & acquired by Andrew Edlin, CEO of Wide Open Arts last year, Outsider Art Fair is an event that recognizes 20th & 21st century Outsider, Self-Taught and Folk Art. So when you visit the fair, keep this perspective in mind and condition yourself to see a different side of the art world.

2. What kind of art is exhibited by the galleries at the fair?

This New York fair has a distinct personality, and as we looked around we spotted artworks with evident undertones of primitivism. Broadly speaking, the exhibitions range from artworks with incredibly dense and intricate details to those with broad strokes of color; from landscapes to  figurative art; and from objective art to subjective art! Ink, pen, paper, cardboard, leather, canvas, crayons, color pencils, acrylic, mixed media – you will find it all here. The subjects range from eccentric to emotional, contributed by artists who do not follow the regular “norms of the art world.”

3. Are there any outsider artists that have made their place in mainstream art world?

Sure, there are! Martín Ramirez, Judith Scott, Thornton Dial, Brent Green, Forrest Bess – to name a few.

The lines between Outsider art & Contemporary art seem to be blurring, slightly but surely. Today, one can find instances of contemporary artists drawing inspiration from the style, method and subject matter, and perhaps they have been doing so for a while now. Outsider art is finding its way into mainstream art and the prices are reflective of that trend. At the fair, it was easy to spot art priced at a few hundred dollars, and just as easy to find pieces priced at well over several thousand dollars! Question is, does the art fair pack a punch? The answer is not in black and white, because while there are some strong artworks, the overall average gets pulled down by a large number of other beautiful but forgettable works. In terms of being relevant in the future, only a few rise above the milieu.

Here is galleryIntell’s list of not-to-be-missed artworks at the fair. Some are intriguing, some painstakingly detailed, some are fun – but whatever they may be, these pique the viewers’ imaginations.

The Outsider Art Fair will continue through Sunday at 548 West 22nd Street, Chelsea, New York; www.outsiderartfair.com.

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