Biography

THE OUTSIDER, In Celebration of...

September 8 - December 16, 2023

 

The fall of 1989 marked the inaugural opening of the doors of the Carl Hammer Gallery at 620 N. Michigan Avenue, bringing with it a purposeful vision to an already historical and established Chicago gallery community. Both challenging and insightful, with a unique focus on art history and its commitment to the representation of the “Outsider Artist” at a time when the existing local and international art scene reluctantly acknowledged the “Outsider” importance (even possibly its legitimacy) due in part that it was produced by a “self-taught artist”. Ironically, however, those who demonstrated the least resistance to yet admiration of the “Outsider” genre was the schooled artist community. Having developed their talents via academic training, and were thusly “officially” canonized, they led the way by popular recognition for and acceptance of the innate genius of the “self-taught artist”, merging it with the art world’s broadened reception as well as its eventual inclusion within the canons of the art academy. In due time, the Outsider art genre had well achieved a well-deserved place of prominence and equality within the international art spectrum.

It is with a great amount of satisfaction that Carl Hammer Gallery celebrates The Outsider artist, giving recognition to its place and prominence within the historical record of art creation itself.