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Jessica Szczepaniak Gillece (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

Art can be a balm for the soul. It can uplift and speak to people in vivid, brilliant ways. Art is glorious, full of beauty and new ideas; however, art has often been used to gatekeep and exclude. Many of the dominant artists, especially those at work from the 18th to 20th centuries, are white, male, cis-gendered and occupy a privileged place in society. This has the effect of cutting out BIPOC artists, queer artists and other artists who may not have the resources to pursue traditional artistic paths. The art world needs diversity. It can often be found in surprising places, especially in those spaces reserved for artists marginalized by society.

This type of art is called outsider art. It is developed in places where traditional artists might not go. Instead of learning about art from a Western-focused canon or art school, outsider artists may come from a variety of backgrounds. Not all have formal training in art techniques and many of them make art using only what they have. All of them, however, are united by a desire to create and to document their experiences. Including outsider artists is a fresh and diverse way to examine creativity and bring diversity to the art world.

Outsider art was first discussed as art brut or “raw art” in the 1940s. French artist Jean Dubuffet focused on art created by nontraditional artists including hermits, spiritualists and other outsiders. Dubuffet admired the surprising approaches of outsider artwork. In the 1970’s it was rebranded as “outsider art” by writer and critic Roger Cardinal. Outsider art incorporates a world outside the mainstream art world and is a space where many BIPOC, LGBTQ2s+and other different artists can present their visions.

This type of diversity also includes artists who have mental health issues. One of the first areas of focus in outsider art was art made by patients in psychiatric hospitals. Dubuffet was inspired by the work of people in the mental health system and built on the work of a group of artists called Der Blau Reiter active in the early years of the twentieth century. They were intrigued by the unusual compositions and artistic variations displayed in art done by psychiatric patients and thought it had a certain raw power. While this was useful for getting this type of art closer to the mainstream, it unfortunately othered these artists and obscured a great deal of their talent, focusing only on their diagnoses.

However, today, there are diverse places to go to see outsider art with full credit and admiration for the artists. The American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, MD, has a permanent collection that includes work from mental health patients and honours their talents. It reframes the mental health pathologies and looks on each artist with respect. Objects in the collection include a crocheted dress in the form of a horse’s head, forms encrusted with buttons and yarn, and a wooden statue with a hollow chest, which was the only piece of art its artist ever created. 

AVAM also includes BIPOC artists like Mary L. Proctor, who makes mixed media art about her life using broken pieces of china and other objects that she collages together. The museum also incorporates an LGBTQ2s+ view with works by LGBTQ2s+ artists and a large rotating sculpture of the famous Baltimore drag queen Divine.

Including outsider artists improves diversity in the art world. It provides both inspiration and representation, giving a voice to those who might not otherwise have one. Diversity in art is important because it shows how art can heal, uplift and amaze. Diversity in art also means expanding the definition of what or who an artist is. Best of all, it makes room for all kinds of visions. It might even inspire you to get that pencil or paint and let your creativity flow.

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