Outsider Art...

 “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”

- Pablo Picasso -

I watched a programme about outsider art last night on BBC1. Outsiders, in this case, are people who have no knowledge of art history or what good or bad art is and who are, in many cases, challenged by some mental disorder. I suppose they would once have been called lunatics. In last night’s programme their conditions ranged from autism to a UFO-obsessed Romanian refugee, a schizophrenic Italian war veteran, and an 80-year-old sex-mad Russian woman. A mixed and mixed-up bunch I guess, but the one thing that had in common is that they made art and very good art it was too. 

Their art must be coming from inside without outside influence from trends or style, galleries or dealers, competitions or funding. Their art, which was often repetitious to the point of near mass production, was beautiful, disturbing and gripping – an expression of themselves without thought of an audience. Their art was somehow true.

It got me thinking. As children this is how we all create art – drawings – at first. Other people’s input causes us to think we can do it and continue, or that we can’t and stop. We give up, or at the very least alter how we create, as we lose our childish enjoyment of just doing. Lunatics don’t know or care what others think. They just do because they are compelled to and enjoy the result.

I wish I were a lunatic.