The Outsider Art Fair Returns With an Eclectic Array of Art

MaimouneAli, Untitled, early 1990s

Courtesy of Galerie Hervé Perdriolle

Beginning today the Outsider Art Fair returns to New York, bringing along some of the most interesting work from largely self-taught artists. Now in its 27th New York edition, the Outsider Art Fair is a sharp contrast to many of the other fairs in the city, which often prioritize commercial pieces curated to appease buyers. While those often result in bringing an array of famous works in one place—which can be entertaining in itself—they often lack the adventurous spirit of a fair like the Outsider Art Fair, where there’s always a chance of discovering a hidden talent. This is reflected in their Curated Spaces, Good Kids: Underground Comics from China, with eclectic and anti-conformist drawings and zines from Chinese artists, along with a a Curated Space dedicated to Phyllis Kind, who was an art dealer instrumental in bringing attention to outsider artists and showing their work alongside contemporary figures. The lineup is as diverse and fascinating as ever, and once again provides an opportunity for viewers to engage with art without the preconceived notions of the art world, the identity of artists, or their expectation of art itself.

The Outsider Art Fair is open from January 17th through the 20th  at the Metropolitan Pavillion, 125 W 18th Street. Purchase tickets here.

Jim Carrey, Exorcist, 2018

Courtesy of Maccarone (Los Angeles + New York)

Forrest Bess, Untitled (Three Figures), 1946

Courtesy of Steven S. Powers

Georgia Harvest Face Vessel, Late 19th Century

Courtesy of Hill Gallery

Feng Cangyu, Untitled, 2017

Courtesy of Almost Art Project

LonnieHolley, Without Skin, Honoring Dr King, 1988-1993

Photo credit:Judith McWillie

Courtesy of American Primitive

YanCong,I Don’t Want to Do Anything, 2016

FromGood Kids: Underground Comics from China

Curated by Brett Littman and Yi Zhou

Queen Nancy Bell, Sentable Vase, 2011

Courtesy the artist and Fleisher/Ollman, Philadelphia

Martín Ramírez, Untitled (Caballero), c. 1950

Courtesy of Fleisher/Ollman

Frank Walter, Yellow Sky, n.d.

Courtesy of Hirschl and Adler Galleries