Outsiders: Art by People [Paperback]

Steve Lazarides (Compiler)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 11, 2008

Such innovators are showcased as Antony Micalleff (featured in The New York Times and Dazed and Confused and collected by Angelina Jolie), Brooklyn-based international artist collective Faile, Parisian artist JR (known only by his initials because of the illegal nature of his work), and Conor Harrington. Debuting completely new material, Tank Girl and Gorillaz cocreator Jamie Hewlett is also one of the 20 prominent artists featured. An essay by Damien Hirst, one of the most controversial and influential artists of the 21st century, is included.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A slippery and near-ubiquitous term in post-postmodern art, gallery owner Lazarides (who also manages street-art megastar Banksy) uses the "outsider" label here to describe artists working outside of traditional artistic spaces-Mark Jenkins' amazingly realistic streetside human casts made of packing tape, Invader's colorful reproductions of classic video game characters in tile-but his only qualification for inclusion is "work I admire" (though one might perceive a supporting consideration, "work available for purchase on my gallery Web site"). To wit: Antony Micallef's exquisite, "deeply troubling" portraits of post-consumer babylonia, Polly Morgan's elevated taxidermy, and the "mischevous and macabre," "very British" Sanley Donwood (best known for his work with rock group Radiohead). Lazarides pens brief, warm biographies of most contributors, interspersing them randomly in page after page of stunning images. The text concludes with an informative (if abbreviated) index and a list for further reading. 15 b/w, 255 color images.
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Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Random House UK (November 11, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1846055466
• ISBN-13: 978-1846055461
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 0.8 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,042,205 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Gallery Catalogue, June 22, 2009

By 

Daniel Lobo (Washington, DC More often than not.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Outsiders: Art by People (Paperback)

This is a gallery catalogue, one of the most influential galleries related to street art that is, but a gallery book. Its owner, and often curator, offers a capable disclaimer by way of the introduction explaining how he understands art and what he pretends to accomplish with his work. In essence a defense of openness, work that provokes a reaction, and the trite idea that it is commonly most effective speaking for itself. So analysis, or what kind of reaction and any subsequent dialogue is something that one will not find here.

Instead, the volume offers a nice selection in full color of a roster of artist with works tied to 3 general areas: out, in, and other... Short biographical clips are introduced between the full page picts, and an index at the end clarifies "who did what", while it is easy to recognize the works and different styles, it is not always necessarily evident, and while most pages do have a footnote with title and artist, not all of them do.

There is stimulating stuff, that is not yet part of the mainstream, although it is part of a strong alternative culture that touches the mainstream often and with comfort. Pity it does not even try to go into a critical reflection other than by the very diverse works he exposes... And that is what will need to be done elsewhere.

4.0 out of 5 stars excellent catalogue of the new outsiders, February 24, 2011

By 

S. Livingston "Art Goddess" (Champaign, Il) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Outsiders: Art by People (Paperback)

This book is a great collection of new outsiders. Following in the tradition of outsider art, a lot of these artists are "untrained" or outside the codified art world. And there work is better for it, in my humble opinion. Visually engaging, smart, and often fun, these are people to look to for pomo approaches to art in the world, and not just in the gallery.