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Nonconformers

A New History of Self-Taught Artists
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( 30 ratings, 5 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Nonconformers offers a global history of self-taught and outsider artists, revealing their transformative influence on modern and contemporary art often overlooked by the cultural establishment. The book covers notable figures like Henry Darger, Hilma af Klint, and Bill Traylor, while expanding to international movements such as the Black Folk Art in America and l’Art Brut in France. It includes contemporary voices through interviews with artists like William Scott and Mamadou Cissé, exploring themes of figuration, landscape, and abstraction over the twentieth century to today.
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Format: Hardback
$8399
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

An ideal read for art enthusiasts, curators, students of modern art, and anyone interested in expanding their understanding of the diverse forces shaping the art world beyond traditional categories.

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

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

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

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 colour, have had a transformative influence 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 well-known figures such as Henry Darger, Hilma af Klint, and Bill Traylor alongside many other artists who deserve widespread recognition. After reviewing how self-taught artists factored into key movements of twentieth-century art, the book shifts to highlighting the voices of contemporary practitioners through new interviews with artists 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.”

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Praised as a handsomely produced and essential addition to art collections, the book has been highlighted for featuring marginalised artists and offering new insights into their impact, especially figures like Hilma af Klint. Reviews in Art Newspaper, New York Times Book Review, Vanity Fair London, and Apollo commend its informative nature and perceptive critique, noting its value for aficionados, curators, and novices alike.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780300260229

Publisher: Yale University Press

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 12 April 2022

Country: United States

Imprint: Yale University Press

Illustration: 300 color illus.

Contributors:

  • Contributions by Cheryl Finley
  • Contributions by Michael Bonesteel
  • Contributions by Mamadou Cisse
  • Contributions by Sophia Cosmadopoulos
  • Contributions by Tom di Maria
  • Contributions by Jo Farb Hernandez
  • Contributions by Katherine Jentleston
  • Contributions by Sarah Lombardi

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 210.0mm

Height: 267.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 400

About the Author

Lisa Slominski is an American curator, writer, and cultural producer based in London. She provides a voice of diversity and inclusivity within a contemporary art context and lectures on the topic of “Outsider Art,” including for Queen Mary University of London.

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