The Outsider Art Fair 2008

B.F. Perkins - A King Tut Treasue, c.1990


Beverly Finster - Gorrie Ella

Yes, it is that time of year again: the Outsider Art Fair is happening in Soho this weekend. I went yesterday, and I photographed as many works as possible for you, despite an ever-present glare factor and despite how competitive viewing of these works is. Admission is a steep $20 (shitty catalog included), but you can shave off half of that with a student ID card, or with a partially concealed expired student ID card (like mine!). See the works now, before they are snatched up by the wealthy and henceforth only seen by the friends and associates of the wealthy. Rich people love outsider art because it comes preset with a quirky story to rattle off when they take their guests on a tour of their monstrous art collection. "Oh yes, that's a Ramirez, he was a mute Mexican skitzophrenic who spent most of his life institutionalized. Tragic."


Mose Tolliver - Man, c.1990


William Fish - Overshadow, 2001

In honor of the fair, I'm devoting Concrete Menagerie to outsider art this week. Enjoy.

Fair Info [Sanford Smith]
My Gallery from the Fair [Flickr]