10 september 2009
Meertens Ethnology Lecture door dr. Daniel Wojcik
Plaats: Meertens Instituut, Symposiumzaal
Tijd: 15.30 – 17.00
Invitation for the 11th Meertens Ethnology Lecture
Thursday September 10, 2009
Dr. Daniel Wojcik
Director Folklore Program University of Oregon
The Art of Outsiders?
Cultural Contexts, Therapeutic Creativity, Community, and Contestation
In recent years, there has been an increasing fascination with so-called “outsider art”, generally understood to refer to art that is idiosyncratic, without precedent, and isolated from local communities and dominant culture. Illustrated with visual examples, this lecture challenges prevailing assumptions about the cultural isolation of various well-known American outsider artists and demonstrates the ways that vernacular traditions, religious worldviews, social interactions, and personal experiences have influenced their work. After establishing various contexts for conceptualizing outsider art, this presentation then explores the potentially therapeutic aspects of art-making, and how individuals have used the creative process to confront suffering and adversity, and cope with traumatic life experiences. The final portion of this lecture examines the ways that such art may address social injustice, challenge dominant ideologies, and transform local communities.
Time: 15:30 – 17:00 (drinks after)
Place: Meertens Instituut, Symposiumzaal
For more information: Peter Jan Margry, Tel. 020 – 4628551
Registration: peter.jan.margry@meertens.knaw.nl