Image above: Impact Art Fair 2011
Below you will find some excellent and inspiring exhibitions that are taking place (mainly in the UK – sorry!) this spring and summer. From the Wellcome Collection to the Impact Art Fair; a dedicated art fair showcasing work by those facing barriers to the art world due to mental health reasons, disability, substance misuse or other social circumstances, there is bound to be something for everyone. I’m going to try and keep doing these ‘What’s On’ posts regularly to keep you all updated – and as 2013 seems to be a big year for the outsider art world! *(Click on the titles of the exhibitions to visit the webpage)*
Souzou: Outsider Art from Japan
Until 30 June 2013
This exhibition showcases more than 300 works for the first major display of Japanese Outsider Art in the UK. With 46 exceptionally talent artists represented; all of whom are residents and day visitors at social welfare institutions in Japan, this exhibition consists of an excitingly diverse range of ceramics, textiles, paintings, sculpture and drawing.
Toshiko Yamanishi, ‘Mother’
Image from http://www.wellcomecollection.org
The Gravy Train and Roads to Recovery
Until 22 June 2013
This exhibition at The Conference Centre presents artwork from Service Users at the Margarete Centre and highlights equality, opportunity and equal access to society as treatments for substance misuse. Alongside work by participants of the Margarete Centre are works by upcoming visionary artist Kate Bradbury.
Image from ‘The Gravy Train and Roads to Recovery’ Facebook Page
Outside In: On Tour
Until 3 January 2014
This touring exhibition consists of the work of 20 artists facing barriers to the art world selected through an open national competition. The tour features the six Award Winners from the Outside In: National exhibition: Kate Bradbury, Manuel Bonifacio, Matthew Sergison-Main, Michelle Roberts, Nigel Kingsbury and Phil Baird.
The four venues the exhibition will be touring to are: The Museum of East Anglian Life, Royal Brompton Hospital, Salisbury Arts Centre and The Public.
Regina Lafay, ‘Convert’
Image from www.outsidein.org.uk
Outside In: Regional
On the back of the success of Outside In: National, the work of Outside In artists will be popping up all over the country in 2013 – from The Museum of Somerset in the South West and Hastings Museum and Art Gallery in the South East right up to Perth Museum and Art Gallery in Scotland, and everywhere in between. For information on all of the dates and venues, visit Outside In’s website.
I Ar You at Large Glass Gallery
Until 24 May 2013
I Ar You: Portraits by Self-Taught American Artists features an intimate selection of important artists from the Deep South and beyond, presenting self-portraits and anonymous figures alongside images of celebrities, presidents and cowboys.
Image from http://www.largeglass.co.uk
The Alternative Guide to the Universe at the Hayward Gallery
11 June – 26 August 2013
An exhibition surveying the work of individuals who create alternatives in art, science and architecture. Focusing on self-taught practitioners whose work is generally produced outside of established channels and official institutions, The Alternative Guide to the Universe features a range of contributors from fringe physicists to the inventors of new languages, from artists who map cities of the future to others who design imaginary technologies.
The Impact Art Fair at Block 336, Brixton
26 – 28 July 2013
This will be the second Impact Art Fair organised by Creative Future, which showcases work by highly talented artists whose access to the mainstream is limited by mental health issues, disability, chronic ill health or social circumstance.
*N.B. If you are an artist, you can still enter work for selection for the Impact Art Fair up until 23 April 2013.
Heidi Aldous
Image from www.impact-art-fair.org.uk
“Great and Mighty Things”: Outsider Art from the Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz Collection at The Philadephia Museum of Art
Until 9 June 2013
In this innovative exhibition, the power of self-taught artistic talent, the drive of the human spirit to create, and the wonders of highly original inner worlds are revealed. This show surprises and challenges museum goers, forces examination of the conventional definition of the word ‘artist’, and shows that good art is good art regardless of the maker’s resume.
Gods, Devils and Dreams by Peter Harry Lewis White at Bethlem Gallery
Until 17 May 2013
This is an exhibition of large-scale paintings and detailed pencil drawings by Peter White. His work depicts visions and dreamscapes that take the viewer on a journey into abstracted landscapes, figures and happenings. “My exhibition reflects my experiences and my creations. There are some windows into my memory and mind, but the rest is just colour and form.”
Peter White
Image from www.bethlemgallery.com
Steve Wright’s House of Dreams
Museum open days: 11 May, 8 June, 6 July, 3 August and 7 September 2013
This amazing world of discarded objects has been created by artist Stephen Wright, who uses everyday objects to create mosaics: milk bottle tops, broken dolls, crockery and the rich pickings of car boot sales. The museum is open by appointment, but there are open days on 11 May, 8 June, 6 July, 3 August and 7 September 2013.
Stephen Wright’s House of Dreams
Image from www.stephenwrightartist.co.uk
To keep up to date with other goings-on in the ‘outsider art’ world, follow me on Twitter: @kd_outsiderart
kdoutsiderart 
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