Raw Creation: Outsider Art & Beyond [Paperback]

John Maizels (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 20, 2000

For many years what has become known as "outsider" art - the art produced by visionaries, spiritualists, recluses, the "mad" and the socially marginalized - was scorned and ridiculed, yet this type of art presents images of great immediacy and power, arising outside accepted art circles. These works were not made for patrons or art critics, and were often acts of compulsion in circumstances where time is of no consequence and there is no desire for money. This book provides an account and discussion of the work of "outsiders" and other non-academic artists, and builders of visionary environments. It begins with a brief history of the recognition of "outsider" art and in the second section of the book, it provides a guide to the full range of self-taught art - sometimes termed visionary art, intuitive art, grassroots art, and contemporary folk art - by using a selection of images from across the globe. Visonary environments feature in the last section of the book, ranging from the Palais Ideal in France, the towers of the Simon Rodia in Watts, Los Angeles, and Nek Chand's sculpture garden in north India.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Primitive, folk, naive, self-taught, outsider--branding art made outside of the conventional art world has become a tender task. What defines it? Who are its creators? No matter what you call it, there's no denying the visceral appeal of raw creativity unbound by rules, class, or education. Long-overdue attention is finally being awarded to self-taught artists--so often marginalized by race, economics, and social structure--allowing them to carve a solid place for themselves and their work in the world of high art. Maizel's book examines the history, study, and appreciation of this century's self-taught art, from the maniacal drawings of asylum inmates to found-object sculptures made by street people to homes surrounded by monoliths or covered in mosaic. The book bills itself as an introduction to the topic, but it is in fact quite a comprehensive study. It is divided into three sections: part one explores early studies of the work of the insane, Dubuffet and Art Brut; part two chronicles folk art and self-taught artists around the world; and part three delves into the world of visionary environments. The contemporary busyness of the design-small type, footnotes printed perpendicular to text, and seemingly random increases in font size can be frustrating, but plow through--the content is informative and inspirational. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

Maizels, editor of Raw Vision, the international magazine on outsider and self-taught art, details the history of this art and its still developing recognition. He also discusses the theories and definitions that have grown up around the works of visionaries, the insane, and other extraordinary artists. He further examines art expressed in mediums outside of the conventional art world and devotes a final section to large-scale visionary environments throughout the world. This work complements other recently published titles on outsider art (Pictured in My Mind, LJ 5/15/96; Contemporary American Folk Art, LJ 8/15/96) as it presents the discoveries and influential theories on this contemporary art with a broad international view. For specialized collections and larger contemporary collections.?Judith Yankeilun Lind, Roseland Free P.L., N.J.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Phaidon Press (September 20, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0714840092
• ISBN-13: 978-0714840093
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 10.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #218,917 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #58 in Books > Arts & Photography > Schools, Periods & Styles > Folk Art

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Compilation Beyond the Ordinary, November 24, 2000

By 

Steven G Swanson (St. Paul, MN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Raw Creation: Outsider Art & Beyond (Paperback)

Maizel has collected more than just the art of the emotionally disturbed and has illustrated, implicitly, the links between modernism and primitivism, folk art and creative genius. Both disturbing and provocative, his selections force one to confront and view these creations with a fresh perspective. Of particular interest is his writing on French artist Jean Dubuffet, who was among the first to recognize such works as real art with something worth exploring and accepting, on par with "formal" art. This book though is not overly intellectual and is primarily a collection of illustrations and prints, sometimes light on the text. I like the way the footnotes are treated on each page and would suspect that these footnotes could serve as a source for further explorations.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding collection, September 15, 2011

By 

Andy Shuping (Macon, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Raw Creation : Outsider Art & Beyond (Paperback)

Many people are confused upon hearing the term "outsider art." After all how can anything be outsider art when the definition of art is so loosely defined? And yet, this complicated term is somewhat of a standard in the art world and becoming more widely studied as more art historians (and artists) realize the importance that these creators have to our world. These folks that are self-taught, folk artists, etc. have an important place within the art world and this outstanding book takes a close look at their place in the world. Maizels experience within and interactions with these artists allows him to place their work into the context of art, history, and life. It is divided into three sections: Part one explores Art Brut, Dubuffet, and the art of the insane; part two focuses on folk and self-taught artists around the world; and part three looks at visionary environments. The book is composed of many fantastic photographs and illustrations that highlight just what is being discussed throughout the book. In fact if there is any complaint about the book is that sometimes the photographs overwhelm the text. Overall though this is an important book to a better understanding of the art world and is highly recommended for any artist, historian, or fan of art.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Why outsider?, February 4, 2010

By 

Elisabeth Marie - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Raw Creation: Outsider Art & Beyond (Paperback)

In spite of having an amazing outsider art production we don't have so much discussions about this subject in the Brazilian artistic scenery.
So, this book is very important to me. It has a very beautiful presentation and shows the most important artists that represent this movement as Dubuffet, the Art Brut collection in Lausanne or Ferdinand Cheval works and Neck Chand spetacular gardens and figurines. And it is particularly interesting to know what is going on outside USA and Europe.