Living Without Labels: a review by Shawn Beeks

---This review originally appeared on Champions of Empty Rooms's art blog---

 Living Without Labels

Outsider Art has been getting a lot of coverage in Philadelphia over the past few months with exhibitions at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and smaller events such as Interconnection: The Art of Social Change at the Asian Arts Initiative, and Beyond Boundaries at Magic Gardens. Having attended the majority of these exhibits, I began to wonder if labeling the work as "outsider" helps or harms the integrity of artists. I recently showed an acquaintance one of the drawings that caught my eye, providing no information about the artist or the venue. He responded, “I’d say it was genius if it were drawn by a 4 year old.” Granted, this person was intoxicated, but he spoke honestly regarding his opinion of work. This brief conversation provoked me to investigate two things: what the difference is between an artist on the inside and one the outside, and what makes a preschooler a genius.

Artists have been defined as those who are able, by virtue of imagination and talent or skill, to create works of aesthetic value, especially in the fine arts, while outsider artists are defined as untutored, working by themselves, for themselves, without recognizing themselves as artists.

On the surface, the differences between insiders and outsiders are not in the quality of the work, but the recognition and respect gained from others who see their work. By definition, outsiders are viewed as ignorant isolationists, unaware that they possess the same skills and talents of artists celebrated by the public. The differences become apparent when one’s focus shifts to the “aesthetic value” of the work, questioning what determines how much the work is worth.  An artist in isolation may be less aware of their work’s value because others are not present to attribute value to work and the artist. Having others acknowledging the value in one’s work often creates a sense of self-importance in the artist, and pressure to produce work worthy of the praise and labels like “genius” bestowed upon them. Therefore, it’s not the work that makes an artist a genius, but the viewer’s expectations of what the artist should make. The hypothetical four-year-old mentioned earlier is not expected to produce representational drawings with anatomically correct figures or accurate perspective, but adults exhibiting in public spaces are expected to achieve this, or consciously challenge these practices with strong visual arguments.

New Years 2008

The expectations we carry when viewing exhibited work determines whether or not it is labeled (insider) art or outsider art; therefore, individuals lacking academic training or recognition from others, who make challenging work, could be categorized as geniuses. Again, these expectations, not the work, are what form opinions of art and determine the artist’s label. Exhibits like Beyond Boundaries, showcasing the drawings and paintings by artists from Oasis and PDDC Cultural Arts Center (Philadelphia Developmental Disabilities Corporation) Art Centers, fall under the label of “outsider art”. While viewing the work on opening night, I noticed strong narrative qualities -- what some might call brilliance -- from Alonzo Troy Humphreys, Andrea Budu, and John Hoggan. Andrea Budu’s My Friends and New Years 1998 possess a reoccurring theme of overwhelming crowds in which figures are drowning in pools of pigment. Badu’s New Years contains a vacant street seen behind the crowd, which also serves as a spotlight on a green central figure whose significance is unknown.

Guitar Players

Located beside Budu’s work are the drawings of John Hoggan, entitled Guitar Players and Collection. Hoggan seems to have found a way to illustrate complete stories with just a few simple lines. His long-legged stick figures serve as springboards for viewers to write their own versions of Pitchfork documentaries about the best bands that never played.

Peckin’ On Seed

Of all the work at Magic Gardens, Peckin on Seed makes the strongest argument against the practice of labeling some artists as outsiders. Humphrey’s understanding of composition and color theory imply that academic training and self-awareness of ones artistic abilities may not be required to produce images comparable to fine art.  Furthermore, Peckin’s ability to prompt viewers to ask questions about the work and the artist, keeping their attention on the work rather than what someone else said about it, are what makes it valuable.

We can only speculate what inspired Dubu, Hoggan, and Humphrey to draw and paint. The complete stories behind their art may remain a mystery, but so would anyone’s inspiration for creating without talking directly to them.  What can be determined from viewing the show are their abilities, by virtue of imagination and talent or skill, to create works of aesthetic value. Whether or not they consider themselves artists is not of any importance when one’s attention questions the shadows cast by the right talon on a stump, or the mysterious source of light that also serves as a street, or the mischievous winking eyes of a singing stick figure.  These individuals have created work beyond the implied boundaries set by others through labels like “outsider”, and deserve to be recognized simply as artists.

Beyond Boundaries is currently on display at Magic Gardens through April 14^th, 2013, located at 1020 South Street.

Shawn Beeks