Customer Reviews

Outsiders: Art by People

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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.

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.