Nonconformers: A New History of Self-Taught Artists (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780300260229)

A global history of self-taught artists advocating for a nuanced understanding of modern and contemporary art often challenged by the establishment

"An essential addition to any discerning art lover's collection. . . . An informative and important companion for art aficionados, budding curators and total novices alike."--Vanity Fair London

When the art world has paid attention to makers from outside the cultural establishment, including so-called outsider and self-taught artists, it has generally been within limiting categories. Yet these artists, including many women, people with disabilities, and people of color, have had a transformative effect on the history of modern art. Responding to growing interest in these artists, this book offers a nuanced history of their work and how it has been understood from the early twentieth century to the present day.

Nonconformers includes work by Henry Darger, Hilma af Klint, and Bill Traylor alongside that of many other artists who deserve widespread recognition. The book reviews how self-taught artists influenced key movements of twentieth-century art and highlights the voices of contemporary practitioners, offering new interviews with William Scott, Mamadou Cissé, and George Widener. An international group of contributors addresses topics such as the development of the Black Folk Art movement in America and l'Art Brut in France, the creative process of self-taught artists working outside of traditional studios, and the themes of figuration, landscape, and abstraction. Global in scope and with chronological breadth, this alternative narrative is an essential introduction to the genre long known as "Outsider Art."

Author: Lisa Slominski
ISBN-10: 0300260229
ISBN-13: 9780300260229
Publisher: Yale University Press
Language: English
Published: 04/19/2022
Pages: 400
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 3.99lbs
Size: 10.79h x 8.58w x 1.58d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 04/01/2023
Library Journal 06/01/2023 pg. 113