Art Brut – The “raw” art

The term Art Brut originates from the French artist (painter, wine merchant, sculptor) Jean Dubuffet . It describes the self-taught and original art of people with intellectual disabilities, laypeople, or children .

This art movement is also sometimes referred to as "Outsider Art . Charity Art is another term frequently used in this context. The creators of Art Brut, whose works are produced outside the established art system, include people with mental illness or multiple disabilities, as well as media, prisoners, outsiders, or simply those who are socially maladjusted.

Meaning and origin

This "unpretentious, raw" art movement was founded in 1945 and sees itself as separate from established art movements or art forms. The works, originally created by psychiatric patients, prisoners, and outcasts, illustrate their fragile mental state and their unorthodox views of the world.

Art Brut is therefore free from academic artistic training and arises from an inner need for expression, which the creative individual fulfills in various ways, thus making a part of their inner self visible through art. The self-taught artist works primarily for themselves and not for an audience. Commercial considerations also play no role in the vast majority of cases.

The term "Art Brut" has now gained international acceptance and made a major contribution to the recognition of marginalized art (art by population groups or social groups that are pushed to the margins of society and thus can only participate to a limited extent in cultural, political and economic life) .

Departure from social conventions

The art of Art Brut is a testament to the avant-garde spirit of the 20th century. These works are created by self-taught artists who follow their own instincts and are not influenced by existing styles or movements. The results are original, emotional masterpieces, unique to each artist and distinct from those inspired by others.

Although Jean Dubuffet, the supposed founder of this art movement, did not have a formal art degree, he is still considered a pioneer of the movement. He championed the values ​​of those marginalized by society and sought ways to destigmatize mental illness .

This eventually led him to coin the term Art Brut to legitimize the artworks of this group.

From the margins of society to the mainstream

In the mid-1940s, Jean Dubuffet began curating works of this art movement. In the late 1970s, he opened the Collection de l'art brut in Lausanne, Switzerland, to introduce the wider public to the world of alternative arts.

Since then, numerous other institutions have followed his example, such as La Maison Rouge & the Musée des arts décoratifs in Paris, which honored the artists on the margins of society with further exhibitions.

Although Art Brut artists had no interest in public judgment, such exhibitions brought their unconventional works to the attention of the mainstream cultural sphere.

Important outsider artists and key pioneers

Besides Dubuffet, Adolf Wölfi is a particularly noteworthy outsider artist. His difficult childhood landed him in prison, and after his release, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Adolf Wölfli is considered a significant 20th-century artist, and his work is exhibited worldwide. At the age of 35, when he settled into the Waldau psychiatric hospital near Bern, he began to draw. Wölfli embarked on a mission to redefine his life and the world. He produced more than 25,000 pages of drawings, which were later published. In them, he envisioned a spectacular youth and a magnificent future.

The first public exhibitions of Adolf Wölfli's drawings took place in 1921 – during his lifetime. After his death, the French artist Jean Dubuffet presented Wölfli's works as part of the collection of the Compagnie de l'Art Brut in Paris. In 1963, his work was featured in the exhibition "Artistry of the Mentally Ill," at the Kunsthalle Bern. In 1976, visitors could experience the first comprehensive exhibition of the artist's work at the Kunstmuseum Bern, which subsequently toured Europe and the USA. In 2017, the exhibition " Adolf Wölfli: A Kingdom of 25,000 Pages" introduced his work to the Japanese public.

Works by Adolf Wölfli – A Selection

Aloïse Corbaz , Augustin Lesage , and Alfonso Ossorio are other important representatives of Art Brut. Although their works are all different, they all share the same freedom of form, rich colors, and a childlike quality, suggesting a lack of formal training.

Controversies

Given its unusual origins, it's not surprising that Art Brut often sparks discussions and sometimes heated debates. This is due to the sometimes disturbing and unethical themes depicted by the artists, such as violence or the sexualization of children . However, they are not viewed and analyzed as comprehensively as traditional artists because the works were not originally created for exhibition purposes.

Instead, they are simply spontaneous – and sometimes unvarnished – reactions to experiences and the individual evaluation thereof.

Cultural recognition for Art Brut is increasing

Through various exhibitions (e.g., the traveling exhibition Outsiders ), Art Brut has gained significant cultural recognition and is attracting attention for the successful promotion of artistic works for therapeutic purposes.

A distinct segment of the art market has also emerged, specializing in self-taught, unformed art at international fairs (e.g., KunstKöln or the New York Outsider Art Fair ). Art brut works, created by the most renowned figures in the scene and long considered universally recognized as art, are frequently offered at auctions and fetch high prices.

For more information and background on the Art Brut exhibition at KunstKöln, see this article from Die Welt: Die Welt – Spectacular Art Brut at “KunstKöln”

In addition, there are regularly published magazines – such as the English magazine Raw Vision – that focus specifically on Art Brut.

In 2013, self-taught artists and artistic outsiders occupied an important place at the 55th Venice Biennale (2022) . Through the Collection de l'Art Brut in Lausanne, founded by Dubuffet, and other foundation-supported museums specializing in Art Brut and outsider art, this art movement received increasing attention.

Many art museums also began to hold exhibitions for Art Brut artists and to collect works from this movement, such as the Aargauer Kunsthaus , which Louis Soutter Even pop musicians, such as David Bowie in his album Outside , released in 1995, engaged with Art Brut.

British indie rock band founded in 2003 gave itself .

Another milestone in the field of "Outsider Art" (a term commonly used in the Anglo-American world) is the EUWARD – European Art Prize for Painting and Graphic Arts for Artists with Intellectual Disabilities , which has been awarded since 2000. More information can be found on the official EUWARD website .

We recently reported on this prestigious European art prize in the article “euward: renowned prize for painting and graphic arts announced for the 9th time” .

Information and key data about the exhibition of the prize winners and nominees in May 2024 can be found here: euward9 – Haus der Kunst in Munich presents prize winners .

A selection of Art Brut works

Many more exciting works by well-known Outsider and Raw Art artists (including Adolf Wölfli, Bill Traylor, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jesse Reno, Michel Nedjar, Dan Casado, and Judith Scott) can be found on the following pinboard:

Informative video contributions on the topic

Exhibition WORLD WALKER. THE ART OF OUTSIDERS

The exhibition WORLDWALKER. THE ART OF OUTSIDERS (2010/2011) was dedicated to the production of art along and beyond the boundaries of the conventional.

This exhibition presented artworks that transcend everyday boundaries, ranging from the art of the mentally ill to the present day. Here, visitors experienced the unique worlds of outsider artists, from August Walla's "Eternity's End Land" to Judith Scott and Emery Blagdon 's healing machines . The exhibition was full of fascinating stories of discovery, such as those of Henry Darger and Friedrich Schröder-Sonnenstern, who left behind incredible works of art after their deaths.

This art inspired people to break out of the familiar structures of everyday life and discover new things.

Art Brut in the Gugging Gallery

Under the programmatic title “gugginger irritationen I”, the music and art festival initiated by site manager Nina Katschnig, Michael Martinek and his music label fabrique records together with the artist duo marshall!yeti place for the first time in June 2008 at the Art / Brut Center Gugging, and was a successful start with over 700 enthusiastic visitors:

The Galerie Gugging has become an international hotspot for the Art Brut scene and has always been a place of encounter. Artists such as David Bowie, Loys Egg, Constantin Luser, Peter Pongratz, Arnulf Rainer, Gerhard Roth, Daniel Spoerri, and the London fashion designer Christopher Kane were inspired by the Gugging artists. Since 2018, artworks by Leopold Strobl a permanent part of the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA) ; in addition, the Gugging artists are regularly featured Albertina , the Belvedere , the Landesgalerie Niederösterreich , and the mumok

galerie gugging vienna opened its doors in the heart of Vienna's city center with Marco Simoni's Bastei10. This Art Brut hotspot is unique in this form worldwide. As a modern exhibition space and meeting place, it offers a concept of a gallery for the senses that was previously unseen internationally. The gallery bridges the gap between Maria Gugging and Vienna, introducing new visitors to the world of the Gugging artists and creating a special place for encounters and exchange.

Art Brut – Schizophrenic artists

A collection of Art Brut artworks by people suffering from schizophrenia (from the books “Outsider Art: Spontaneous Alternatives” and “Beyond Reason: Art and Psychosis”):

Further information on Art Brut:

Below is a brief overview of various resources that can introduce you to the world of Art Brut:

Museum “Collection de l'art brut” in Lausanne

The extraordinary Collection de l'Art Brut museum exhibits works by (almost) completely ordinary people, not "artists". The expressiveness of these paintings is often eerie and intense – short explanations alongside the pictures provide the viewer with background information and the story of the creator (mostly people with mental illnesses).

Weblink: artbrut.ch

magazine “Raw Vision”

The English-language art magazine Raw Vision is the only magazine worldwide dedicated to Art Brut (Outsider Art). Edited by John Maizels, the magazine was awarded the title of best art magazine in 1998.

Each issue contains information on the topic of Outsider Art (exhibition dates, conference reports, and exhibition reviews) and introduces new artists.

Web link: rawvision.com

Gugging Gallery

The Gugging Gallery is an important, globally unique space for the presentation and creation of authentic, original art with its own distinct aesthetic. For 29 years, the gallery has exhibited works by Gugging artists and their international colleagues to increase the visibility of their work within the contemporary art world and to promote previously undiscovered artists.

Many people don't know that the Gugging artists are the actual owners of the gallery. The Galerie Gugging team works with enthusiasm, appreciation, and expertise to increase its influence in the national and international art scene and to support art enthusiasts and collectors in their passion. In this context, the gallery sees itself as a role model for how collaboration can work.

The Gugging Gallery is part of the Art Brut Center Gugging , which also includes the Atelier Gugging, the House of Artists, the Museum Gugging, and the Private Foundation – Artists from Gugging. The proximity of the Gugging artists' work locations to their presentation is unique worldwide. Artistic work takes place daily in this beautiful setting in the heart of the Vienna Woods.

Areas of activity:

• Representing the Gugging artists as well as discovering and promoting still unknown artists
• Worldwide collaborations with renowned artists, galleries, museums and collections
• Three exhibitions per year in Maria Gugging with an accompanying catalogue
• 4 exhibitions at the Galerie Gugging Vienna in Vienna
• Participation in international fairs such as the Drawing Now Art Fair Paris, the Outsider Art Fair New York, …
• Since 2017, organizers of the galerie gugging special edition – a format that provides a platform for artists with a connection to the Gugging artists/Art Brut and a passion for experimentation. Works composed specifically for this event regularly premiere, such as “Paradise Lost” by Christopher Chaplin, “Sensitive Figure” by Lukas Lauermann, or the unique reading “Brandauer Reads Bowie” by Klaus Maria Brandauer.

Web link: galeriegugging.com

Galerie arte nuova

The Arte Nuova gallery in Switzerland specializes in Art Brut and has built up collections of various artists.

Web link: https://artenuova-artlife.ch/

KoKo Gallery

The KoKo gallery in Vienna focuses primarily on Art Brut. It offers spaces for exhibitions, openings, and business lunches.

Web link: https://www.galerie-koko.at

Kunsthaus Kannen

The Kunsthaus Kannen in Münster is a museum for Outsider Art and Art Brut, featuring galleries, art projects, and studios. As an inclusive meeting place, it allows the public to discover outsider art.

Web link: kunsthaus-kannen.de

Outsider Art Fair

Founded in New York in 1993 and now also held in Paris, the Outsider Art Fair is the largest international art fair that focuses specifically on self-taught art and showcases works by recognized masters and living artists such as George Widener, Susan Te Kahurangi King, Shinichi Sawada, Christine Sefolosha and Luboš Plný.

The OAF soon became known for its unconventional spirit and played a crucial role in fostering a passionate community of collectors and wider recognition of outsider art in the contemporary art arena.

Web link: outsiderartfair.com

LaM – Lille Métropole, musée d'art moderne, d'art contemporain and d'art brut

The LaM – Lille Métropole, musée d'art moderne, d'art contemporain et d'art brut is a museum of modern art, contemporary art and art brut. It opened in 1983 and is located in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, near the northern French city of Lille. 

Modern art, contemporary art, Art Brut: three collections and over 7,000 works on an exhibition area of ​​4,000 m² form the backbone of this remarkable museum. Each of these artistic sections offers both a discovery of masterpieces from art history and a subtle continuation of these thematic areas.

Weblink: musee-lam.fr/fr

Our book recommendations on this topic:

1. L'Art Brut de Jean Dubuffet, aux origines de la collection (2020)

After assembling the works into a collection, Jean Dubuffet donated them to the city of Lausanne in 1971, which inaugurated the Art Brut collection in February 1976. The book, published to mark the museum's fortieth anniversary, describes the founding of the Lausanne institution and significant events that contributed to its development. It also highlights the first event held outside the Compagnie de l'Art Brut, which took place in 1949 at the Galerie René Drouin in Paris under the title "L'Art Brut." Revisiting this event helps to recognize its courage and central importance to the past.

Note: only available in French

ISBN-10: 208151916X; ISBN-13: 978-2081519169

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2. The Kunsthaus Kannen book: Contemporary Art – Art Brut and Outsider Art (2016)

In the recent history of art and psychiatry, there are few practical models that have approached the concept of inclusion in the arts in a pioneering way, and thus become as groundbreaking as the Kunsthaus Kannen in Münster. Since the early 1980s, the Alexian Brothers here had begun, with great foresight, to support particularly artistically gifted residents. From the initially created space within Haus Kannen, the Kunsthaus Kannen developed, today a museum for exhibitions of contemporary art, Art Brut, and Outsider Art, with artists' studios and a gallery area.

ISBN-10: 3735603033; ISBN-13: 978-3735603036

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3. The participatory nature of art: Art brut / Outsider Art and inclusion (2020)

Joseph Beuys understood art as a process of inclusion. As he stated, he was concerned with the "participatory character" and the "social sculpture." Current viewpoints and perspectives can be found in the art forms of Art Brut/Outsider Art and inclusive exhibitions. The Hamburg-based artists' collective "Die Schlumper," which has existed for forty years, provides a particular focus. Nine texts on representative aspects and discourses offer a concise, culturally and historically oriented overview. They gather relevant information and examples relating to social, art, and museum education, as well as art workshops.

ISBN-10: 3779962829; ISBN-13: 978-3779962823

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4. Outsider Art: Past, Present & Perspectives, English edition (2021)

The publication Outsider Art – Past, Present & Perspectives brings together international voices from academia and practice who critically engage with the topic. Interdisciplinary methods and theories from art history, visual studies, and philosophy, as well as contemporary practices of contextualization, presentation, and mediation, play a crucial role. Using examples from art market research, historical and contemporary exhibition practices, and artistic funding, the publication offers a multifaceted perspective on this fascinating subject.

ISBN-10: 3731909812; ISBN-13: 978-3731909811

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5. Outsider Art: Art Brut and its Affinities (World of Art), English. Edition (2023)

In this comprehensive and essential guide, Colin Rhodes provides an overview of the history and reception of Outsider Art—first championed by Dubuffet and the Surrealists, now appreciated by a wider audience—while also offering fresh insights into the achievements of both significant figures and newly discovered artists as specialized studios emerged and the relationship between Outsider Art and the contemporary mainstream art world evolved and became increasingly intertwined. From the spirit-guided Madge Gill to the schizophrenic Adolf Wölfli, Rosemarie Koczÿ's expression of trauma to Nek Chand's outdoor creations, these individuals pursued the visual expression of their vision with passion and obsession.

ISBN-10: 0500204861; ISBN-13: 978-0500204863

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6. Art Brut: The Origins of Outsider Art Edition (2006)

This critically acclaimed book traces the history of the concept of Art Brut, a movement that has had a profound impact on art and social history. The narrative is enhanced by biographical notes on the featured artists and an extensive bibliography. This revised edition includes updated information on contemporary representatives of Art Brut and the collection itself, including two new images of works by the artist Judith Scott. All the reproduced works, most of them from the collection created by Dubuffet, have retained their subversive freedom, which continues to fascinate and inspire artists and collectors today.

ISBN-10: 2080305433; ISBN-13: 978-2080305435

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