Paper short abstract:

This presentation interrogates the problematic concept of the "outsider artist" and illustrates how specific individuals labelled “outsiders” in fact have drawn upon vernacular traditions and cultural heritage to confront adversity, address societal crises, and offer solace to others.

Paper long abstract:

This presentation, illustrated with visual examples, explores the artistic activities of individuals labeled "outsider artists" who have created things in response to traumatic events and the uncertainties of everyday life. I interrogate the problematic concept of “outsider art”--generally defined as "raw art" made by people who have no formal artistic training and whose work is "untainted" by the culture of the academy, and somehow is disconnected from a community and the broader culture. I illustrate how specific individuals labelled "outsiders" in fact have drawn upon vernacular traditions and cultural heritage in the art-making process, but the broader cultural contexts of their work often has been ignored by the dealers, curators, and even the scholars of such art. I then focus on selected individuals who have used creativity to confront adversity and societal crises, including the war trauma, displacement, racism, violence, and societal upheaval. In some cases, these so-called outsider artists have offered solace and healing to others and their broader communities.