Art Brut: Raw Art

Art Brut (also known as "Raw Art" or "Outsider Art") was coined by Jean DeBuffet in the 1940's. Art Brut is a type of art completed by people that DeBuffet described as "naive, psychotic, or primitive"...namely those who were mentally ill, imprisoned, and otherwise unconventional and unaware of classical art techniques. Despite the negative connotations that his description may convey today, Art Brut was an art style that went beyond traditional limitation.

Art Brut is art that is not influenced by the constraints of what society believes art should be. This type of art may seem to lack technique or forethought - the imagery may even be unsettling to some viewers. This is because Art Brut is purely a process of creativity; it is not concerned with how others view the art, but rather how it feels to create it.

This video describes Outsider Art as "art that is unconcerned with how their art will be recieved." It is not about financial gain, the perspective of others, or analysis and interpretation. This art is used primarily as a means of unfiltered expression.

Now, there are many galleries devoted to Outsider Art. There are creative centers and psychiatric homes devoted to cultivating art as a means to express otherwise suffocated emotion and communication.

Art Brut has a special place in my heart. I am an artist who has dealt with severe mental illness for the past 15 years. I have experienced what it is like to be institutionalized on more than one occassion. I have also witnessed a lot of amazing artists at work within these institutions. Inside those walls, art is used as an outlet for creative expression and emotional regulation. I am a firm believer that classical training and art school does not make an artist. Art comes from within. Anyone, anywhere, can be an artist.

The act of creating something for the sake of creating, for the need of art, is what has driven me as an artist and also encouraged me to pursue my educational journey toward being an art therapist.

I highly reccommend watching this documentary, BBC's "Turning the Art World Inside Out", and exploring otherwise "unusual" lesser-known artists in the breathtaking category of Outsider Art.