The VIP preview at the 2016 Outsider Art Fair. Photo: Casey KelbaughEver since the term “outsider art” was coined decades ago, museum curators and gallery owners have debated its merits. But when it comes to the New York art world these days, there is no debating one fact: Outsider art is definitely “in.”Consider the growth of the Outsider Art Fair, the New York showcase whose 25th edition kicks off Thursday at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood. Further proof of the increased popularity of outsider art is that more mainstream art institutions are embracing it. At a time when contemporary art is often seen as complex and bewildering, outsider art speaks on a more direct, emotional level.

Source: Wall Street Journal January 17, 2017 00:50 UTC