[Texts on catalogue]

 

COURAGE OF WILLFULNESS

 

The French artist Jean Dubuffet coined the term "Art Brut". Translated literally it means "raw" or "unspoiled" art. It is associated with the idea that there might be subversive, alternative art forms, which develop freely beyond the suffocating powers of the established art business. Its protagonists are supposed to be uneducated or mentally handicapped autodidacts. Behind this categorization is the less convincing, romantic idea of a "naive" or "noble savage", who mines from the primary sources of life.

 

In recent years, alongside or instead of the term Art Brut, the term "Outsider Art" created by the English art historian Roger Cardinal has increasingly prevailed. The term does not have an ideological connotation. It is neither pejorative, nor excessively exalting. Rather, it is descriptive. The term Outsider Art is broad and open. Its use contributes little to an understanding of the art, but somewhat to the clarification of the artist's initial situation. It encompasses all artists who experience difficulties in participating in the normal art business, whether for economic, social, psychological or mental reasons. It is accompanied by the observation that these artists are mostly not very much bound by rules, often pursue unconventional ideas and move in differentiated, fantastical systems.

 

The Euward focuses our attention on artists who may somehow be "Outsiders" in a social respect. However, the exhibition and book show convincingly that the works brought together here are by no means marginalized in an artistic sense. Rather, they show in an impressive way what good art can achieve: It surprises us, makes us curious, and astonishes us. It irritates us, challenges us and captivates us. It disrupts conventions and encourages us to trust our own senses. The notion that this quality in art should be represented especially strongly at the Buchheim Museum of Phantasy is a legacy of our founder Lothar-Günther Buchheim.

 

The Augustinum Foundation deserves the honor of having awarded the European Art Award for Painting and Graphic Arts in the Context of Mental Disability (euward) for the seventh time now - the only internationally significant distinction in this field. We are proud and glad that this exhibition of the award winners and nominees is now taking place for the second time here at the Buchheim Museum.

 

Daniel J. Schreiber, Director of the Buchheim Museum

 

ON ART AND BOUNDARIES. HOW WE CAN FIND A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH ART

 

Eighteen years ago, we opened the first exhibition of the Europe-wide Euward art award. Augustinum Foundation together with the Galerie der Künstler in Munich. The idea was fascinating; of being able to gather together an almost invisible art landscape from throughout Europe, and promoting it in the format of a renowned art award. An art that is created in a special environment. Usually with the support of helpful attendants. An artistic practice of people who have need of support in various respects. Even if only in the respect of not being able to represent and market themselves as artists, to make themselves visible. To have a voice, in the art world, always means being discovered, verbalized, explained, understood and accepted. To be relevant. That is how our culture works. To this extent, this form of art communication, Euward, is the appropriate vehicle. One thing, most of all, must and can be performed here. To open up and communicate the content of this art, for which this part, speaking about oneself, is the most difficult- it is precisely therein that the limitation of this art mostly lies. Compensating for this requires perception, in-depth knowledge, preoccupation, engagement, outreach, empathy. A professional setting.

 

On the other hand, at no stage was there a lack of will to acknowledge the highly sensually infectious and aesthetically powerful modes of expression of these artists. There has been no lack of experts, collectors, amateurs - outsiders themselves. And they were able to protect their treasure and its exclusiveness. Even Dubuffet recognized the subversive value - of otherness. Nowadays, this separation (in the observation) is seen as a handicap and a sign of marginalization. But what replaces that caring connoisseurship and - certainly often sectarian - amateurism of the old school? Acknowledgement, no, better: do we, solely by using the term of inclusion, also recognize the brisance and socially explosive power, topicality of this art? Its, to some extent, rough voice?

 

Irrespective of what terminology and spectacles we want to use to look at it - as a special or not special art: if we do not take it further than just re-categorizing it in our caste system and pigeonholing, then we have not gained anything. As long as this art remains visible in its boundaries (certainly also its limitedness) as in its possibilities, it has a singular, indeed unique, potential. Thus, for us, it cannot just be a matter of assigning new names, but of granting this art its energy, with which it can initiate a new discourse about art altogether. Since this is what we need and are looking for.

 

With this Euward, too, as almost every time, we have the experience that this art disintegrates and bursts its own boundaries, the limiting view, from within. What we collect as "art in disability" is then cast in a new light: namely through the individual art work. This expands our expectancy every time and opens up a new dimension to perception. The work, and not a summary consideration is precisely the framework that an exhibition can create. Its purpose is to make visible, not to categorize. The work of the three award winners and of the special award shows with amazing unanimity a socially explosive power of their subject matter. A sensual, but insistent, a poetic but at the same time extremely disturbing human revolt against the circumstances. The exposing look at these circumstances and the response with an alternative draft. Responding to the present day with a utopia. All of that points well beyond the aesthetic boundaries within which these artists were accustomed to being categorized.

In another respect, too, with this Euward7, and in particular with this catalogue, we have set new standards in engaging with art. We have begun to look for a new form of art communication, which doesn't employ the established ways of our expert culture and adapt to them. We have adapted ourselves to the art works and developed them in a constant workshop lasting almost eight months. With a team almost as diverse in composition as our society and as diverse as we would wish the visitors to any exhibition - and particularly this one - to be. From all social and age groups, people (with their respective personal support needs) have developed the art works that this catalogue in turn reflects. It is their contributions that, in a multifaceted and very personal way, will make this book into an art experience that is intended to extend boundaries.

 

Klaus Mecherlein, Curator for Euward7 exhibit and Director Atelier Augustinum & Euward-Archiv