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Faces and Figures in Self-Taught
Art
July 11 - August 31, 2014
Does it matter whether
an artist is self-taught or art school educated? The distinction between
art made by professionally trained artists and those who have 
never attended art school, insiders and outsiders, is
being challenged in the arena of contemporary art and criticism. As evidence
of this softening of the edges between these categories, in recent decades,
many mainstream art museums have added self-taught art to their collections
and exhibition programs. Vassar College's museum is no exception. The Frances
Lehman Loeb Art Center has a collection of more than one hundred works made
by self-taught artists and Faces and Figures in Self-Taught Art,
the Art Center's new exhibition, showcases many of them. The show is on
view from July 11 through August 31, 2014. (right: Howard Finster,
American (1916 - 2001), Jesus Saves - Angel, July 1992, Oil and black
marker on shaped plywood. The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, Vassar College.
Gift of Pat O'Brien Parsons, class of 1951, 2005.33.15)
The notion of outsider art came into being around seventy
years ago and has taken many names since, including Art Brut (first
used in the 1940s by French artist Jean Dubuffet to denote the raw or naïve
style of untrained artists) to the more controversial but still commonly
used "outsider art," to the more descriptively accurate "self-taught
art." Art critic Roger Cardinal (who coined the term "outsider
art" in 1972) wrote in his book Faces and Figures of Outsider Art,
for which this exhibition is named, that "what is perhaps distinctive
in the case of the Outsider is his or her personalization of
the figure, its rendering -- in however minimal a way -- as something odd
and eccentric, as unmistakable as a signature."
Included in this exhibition are paintings, drawings, sculptures,
books, watercolors and photographic prints by artists who operate without
academic training and outside traditional artistic discourse, often using
unconventional materials to create works that vary remarkably in style.
Taking the human form as its subject, artists express intensely personal
visions and consequently open a window onto the imagination. The human face,
the apex of the figure, takes on a strange other-worldliness that at times
has been compared to children's art, mythology, or pure fantasy.
Faces and Figures features
works by approximately thirty-three artists, including James Castle, Henry
Darger, Thornton Dial, Howard Finster, Bessie Harvey, Dwight Mackintosh,
Donald Mitchell, Mose Tolliver, Bill Traylor, and Inez Nathaniel Walker
among many others. The show also includes works borrowed from the personal
collection of New York State Assemblymember Didi Barrett and her husband,
David Barrett, and the Blanchard-Hill Collection. (left: Janet Sobel,
Ukrainian American (1893-1968), Untitled, ca. 1942, Enamel on board.
Courtesy of Gary Snyder Fine Art, New York)
"The work of self-taught artists has achieved unique
status in the art world for its compelling expression of emotion and unselfconscious
style," explains Mary-Kay Lombino, the Emily Hargroves '57 and Richard
B. Fisher Curator and Assistant Director for Strategic Planning at the Frances
Lehman Loeb Art Center. She cites Henry Darger's elaborate paintings of
young girls caught in a vicious war, the sacred art of the prolific Reverend
Howard Finster, and the raw power in Thornton Dial's turbulent compositions
as examples.
"My hope is to also bring more exposure to the lesser-known
artists housed in Vassar's collection by showing them in the context of
artists more widely known," says Lombino.
Faces and Figures is dedicated
to the memory of Vassar alumna Patricia O'Brien Parsons, class of 1951,
who passed away in 2013. Parsons was a loyal supporter of Vassar and the
Art Center and donated to the Art Center numerous works by self-taught artists
to whom she devoted a great deal of her professional life while the co-owner
of the Webb and Parsons Gallery in Bedford, NY. In 2009, the Art Center
presented the exhibition Faith and Fantasy in Outsider Art from the Permanent
Collection, which featured many works donated by Parsons.
"Patricia O'Brien Parsons inspired the Art Center
to invest in the future of self-taught art through the collection and exhibitions,"
says Lombino. "Pat's statement that 'not only is this self-taught art,
it's art that can't be taught' rings true throughout the galleries."
Gallery Talk, July 25, 12:00 pm -- Art Center curator Mary-Kay
Lombino led an informal discussion of the Faces and Figures in Self-Taught
Art exhibition, sharing her unique curatorial perspective on the
show as a whole and exploring selected works in detail.
(above: Minnie Evans, American (1892 - 1987), Untitled,
1940s, Crayon on paper, mounted on heavy textured white woven paper. Courtesy
of Galerie St. Etienne, New York)
Checklist for the exhibition
Aguilera, Salvadoran (b. 1973)
- Untitled
- Crayon on paper
- Purchase, Pat O'Brien Parsons, class of 1951, Collection
Fund, 2010.4.1
-
- Aguilera, Salvadoran (b. 1973)
- Untitled
- Crayon on paper
- Purchase, Pat O'Brien Parsons, class of 1951, Collection
Fund, 2010.4.2
-
- Leroy Almon, Sr., American (1938-1997)
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Polychrome on carved wood panel
- Collection of Didi and David Barrett
-
- Steve Ashby, American (1904-1980)
- Two Girls
- Paint on wood with fabric, paper, plastic with metal
attachments
- Gift of Pat O'Brien Parsons, class of 1951, 2005.33.3
-
- Aaron Birnbaum, American (1895-1998)
- Self-Portrait
- Oil on plywood
- Gift of Pat O'Brien Parsons, class of 1951, 2005.33.4
-
- Calvin and Ruby Black, American (1903-1972 and 1915-1980)
- Possum Trot Doll, Cowgirl,
ca. 1954-69
- Painted wood and fabric
- Collection of Didi and David Barret
-
- Calvin and Ruby Black, American (1903-1972 and 1915-1980)
- Possum Trot Doll, Shirley,
ca. 1954-69
- Painted wood and fabric
- Collection of Didi and David Barrett
-
- Boyden
- Five Men on Blue
- Mixed media on paper
- Gift of Pat O'Brien Parsons, class of 1951, 2005.33.64
-
- Boyden
- Green Man
- Crayon and graphite on paper
- Gift of Pat O'Brien Parsons, class of 1951, 2005.33.63
-
- James Castle, American (1899-1977)
- Untitled (5 Sisters)
- Mixed media on found paper
- Courtesy Blanchard-Hill Collection
-
- James Castle, American (1899-1977)
- Construction (3 figures)
- Mixed media on found paper
- Courtesy Blanchard-Hill Collection
-
- Henry Darger, American (1892-1973)
- Ranger Girlscouts of General Aronburg's Army
- Watercolor and pencil on paper
- Courtesy of Andrew Edlin Gallery, New York
-
- Henry Darger, American (1892-1973)
- Untitled (Abbieannian Flamingo Girlscout)
- Watercolor and pencil on paper
- Courtesy of Andrew Edlin Gallery, New York
-
- James Edward Deeds, Jr., American, b. Panama (1908-1987)
- "Lady Jefferson"
/ Trestle Bridge with Locomotive [135 / 136], ca. 1936-66
- Graphite and crayon on ledger paper
- Collection of Shelley Farmer Allen, class of 1992, and
Jonathan Allen, courtesy of Hirschl & Adler Modern, New York
-
- James Edward Deeds, Jr., American, b. Panama (1908-1987)
- "Deer Boy" / Landscape
with Bridge and Train Car [195 / 196], ca. 1936-66
- Graphite and crayon on ledger paper
- Private Collection, courtesy of Hirschl & Adler Modern,
New York
-
- James Edward Deeds, Jr., American, b. Panama (1908-1987)
- Ectlectric Pencil [197 / 198],
ca. 1936-66
- Graphite and crayon on ledger paper
- Collection of Evan Akselrad and Yasmine Anavi, courtesy
of Hirschl & Adler Modern, New York
-
- Thornton Dial, Sr., American (b. 1928)
- Think Before You Speak, 1993
- Mixed media on paper
- Gift from the Estate of Pat O'Brien Parsons, class of
1951, 2014.16.1
-
- Thornton Dial, Sr., American (b. 1928)
- A Man That Needs More
- Watercolor and oil pastel on three separate sheets of
paper
- Gift of Pat O'Brien Parsons, class of 1951, 2005.33.14
-
- Minnie Evans, American (1892-1987)
- Untitled (Abstract Design with Faces), 1940s
- Crayon on paper, mounted on heavy textured white woven
paper
- Private collection, courtesy of Galerie St. Etienne,
New York
-
- Howard Finster, American (1916-2001)
- John 13:5
- Oil on wood panel
- Collection of Didi and David Barrett
-
- Howard Finster, American (1916-2001)
- Jesus Saves - Angel, July
1992
- Oil and black marker on shaped plywood
- Gift of Pat O'Brien Parsons, class of 1951, 2005.33.15
-
- Howard Finster, American (1916-2001)
- Old Woman in a Shoe, 1983
- Oil on shaped wood panel
- Collection of Didi and David Barrett
-
- Johann Fischer, Austrian (1919-2008)
- The June Cherries, I Picked 3 Pounds, 1986
- Graphite and color pencil on textured white wove paper
- Private collection, courtesy of Galerie St. Etienne,
New York
-
- Victor Joseph Gatto, American (1893-1965)
- Blue Portrait
- Oil on board
- Collection of Didi and David Barrett
-
- Madge Gill, British (1882-1961)
- Portrait of a Woman
- Pen and ink on heavy paper
- Private collection, courtesy of Galerie St. Etienne,
New York
-
- Bessie Harvey, American (1929-1994)
- Untitled (Black Figure)
- Root, wood, paint
- Courtesy Blanchard-Hill Collection
-
- Bessie Harvey, American (1929-1994)
- Belahaw
- Root, wood, paint
- Courtesy Blanchard-Hill Collection
-
- John Harvey, American (b. 1951)
- Adam and Eve
- Oil on plastic canvas
- Gift of Pat O'Brien Parsons, class of 1951, 2005.33.89
-
- Richard Kurtz, American (b. 1955)
- Untitled (You Run Your Life/Love), 2012-13
- Moleskine book, paint, fabric, found materials
- Courtesy Blanchard-Hill Collection
-
- Richard Kurtz, American (b. 1955)
- Untitled (Love), 2012
- Moleskine book, paint, fabric, found materials
- Courtesy Blanchard-Hill Collection
-
- Richard Kurtz, American (b. 1955)
- Untitled (Collection of 9 Cards), 2013
- Gift cards, paint
- Courtesy Blanchard-Hill Collection
-
- Dwight Mackintosh, American (1906-1999)
- Single Man, 1984
- Ink on paper
- Gift of Pat O'Brien Parsons, class of 1951, 2014.16.5
-
- Dwight Mackintosh, American (1906-1999)
- Lady in Dress, 1986
- Black marker and paint on paper
- Gift of Pat O'Brien Parsons, class of 1951, 2005.33.33
-
- Dwight Mackintosh, American (1906-1999)
- Adam, ca. 1987
- Hooked wool rug with jute backing
- Gift of Joan (Dreyfuss) Finton
-
- Dwight Mackintosh, American (1906-1999)
- Eve, ca. 1987
- Hooked wool rug with jute backing
- Gift of Joan (Dreyfuss) Finton
-
- Christine McCormick, American (1938-1994)
- Woman/Green Field
- Gouache on paper
- Gift of Pat O'Brien Parsons, class of 1951, 2005.33.77
-
- Donald Mitchell, American (b. 1951)
- People, 1995
- Gouache and ink on paper
- Gift from the Estate of Pat O'Brien Parsons, class of
1951, 2014.16.6
-
- Donald Mitchell, American (b. 1951)
- Figures
- Black marker on paper
- Gift of Pat O'Brien Parsons, class of 1951, 2005.33.43
-
- Michael Patterson-Carver, American (b. 1958)
- Prohibition Creates Gangsters,
2009
- Ink, pencil, and watercolor on paper
- Collection of Laurel Gitlen and Samuel Richardson, New
York
-
- Michael Patterson-Carver, American (b. 1958)
- Bush Admin. Resign #3, 2006
- Ink and pencil on paper
- Collection of Matthew Higgs and Anne Collier, New York
-
- Aurie Ramirez, Filipino (b. 1962)
- Untitled
- Watercolor on paper
- Gift of Creative Growth Art Center, Oakland, CA, 2014.6.6
-
- Aurie Ramirez, Filipino (b. 1962)
- Untitled
- Watercolor on paper
- Gift of Creative Growth Art Center, Oakland, CA, 2014.6.1
-
- Aurie Ramirez, Filipino (b. 1962)
- Untitled
- Watercolor on paper
- Gift of Creative Growth Art Center, Oakland, CA, 2014.6.2
-
- Martín Ramírez, American, b. Mexico (1895-1963)
- Untitled, ca. 1960-63
- Gouache and graphite on paper
- Courtesy of Rico Maresca Gallery and the Martín
Ramírez Estate
-
- Paulina Santalez, Puerto Rican (1925-1987)
- Untitled, 1986
- Pen and colored pencil on paper
- Gift of Pat O'Brien Parsons, class of 1951, 2005.33.78
-
- Janet Sobel, American, b. Ukraine (1893-1968)
- Untitled, ca. 1941
- Gouache on paperboard
- Courtesy of Gary Snyder Fine Art, New York
-
- Janet Sobel, American, b. Ukraine (1893-1968)
- Untitled, ca. 1941
- Gouache on board
- Courtesy of Gary Snyder Fine Art, New York
-
- Janet Sobel, American, b. Ukraine (1893-1968)
- Untitled, ca. 1942
- Enamel on board
- Courtesy of Gary Snyder Fine Art, New York
-
- Janet Sobel, American, b. Ukraine (1893-1968)
- Untitled, ca. 1942
- Gouache on paper
- Courtesy of Gary Snyder Fine Art, New York
-
- Mose Tolliver, American (1920-2006)
- Pornoman
- House paint on board
- Gift of Pat O'Brien Parsons, class of 1951, 1996.21.2
-
- Mose Tolliver, American (1920-2006)