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22. 01. 10. - 12:00

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22. 01. 10. - 12:00

Art Brut Gugging boss on day to day challenges and outsider art exhibit

The work of self-taught African-American artists is now on display at the Art / Brut Gugging museum.

Both the artists from the southern United States and the museum showing their work could be described as outsiders. Just as names like Mary T. Smith or Bill Traylor will not ring a bell with most Europeans, the museum located in Maria Gugging near Vienna does not seem to be on the same level as, for example, Vienna’s Albertina or the Natural History Museum when it comes to popularity and the marketing campaigns behind them.

But as the Austrian Times found out, Art / Brut Gugging head Johann Feilacher does not disagree with this description – and he is determined to change the perception.

"These self-taught artists have become acknowledged ‘outsider’ artists in America, while their work is hardly ever on display in Europe," Feilacher said of the Art / Brut Gugging’s current "liberty.!" exhibit.

Feilacher said he was personally fascinated by the works of the group which formed around William Hawkins and Bill Traylor, the latter of which started painting at the age of 80 after slaving on plantations his whole life.

"Traylor started painting after retiring mainly because he didn’t know what to do with his time. He began drawing and painting on cartons he found lying around near a factory.

"It’s remarkable that he became so creative despite the totally monotonous life he had been living. He might not be the only person in the world who picked up painting after retiring. But only one in 1,000 has talent, and Traylor’s works are even more fascinating when you consider that it wouldn’t have been a surprise if the routine of his working life had destroyed all his creativity," Feilacher said of Traylor, who died in 1949.

Another artist featured in the museum’s "liberty.!" exhibition is Mary T. Smith, who started painting after retiring from running a farm and working as a chef. Smith sparked the attention of commuters by painting her house, which was located on a busy road, in bright colours before using bulk rubbish to create artistic objects.

The work of William Hawkins, another artist featured in "liberty.!", meanwhile mostly focuses on subjects from the Bible. His painting "Statue of Liberty" is the exhibit’s title image.

And Purvis Young – the only living artist whose works are featured in "liberty.!"  – has become one of the most active representatives of the American Art Brut scene.

Speaking about how the exhibition came about, Feilacher said: "I know America’s self-taught artist scene very well, and it was a big advantage to know some important people in the art world when I got in touch with collectors asking them about loaning works of art.

"What fascinates me about America’s outsider artists is that they go their own, distinctive way. They haven’t got any role models – it’s impossible as most of them weren’t interested in art before they suddenly starting being creative."

"European autodidactic artists meanwhile normally orientate on what they’ve seen before creating their own style," he explained.

Feilacher said he was convinced the works by Smith, Traylor, Hawkins and Young were "enriching" regardless of whether people actually liked them or not.

"Someone like Traylor is one of the greatest artists of the 20th century to me," he said, adding that usually anyone interested his work would have to travel to the US and look for galleries displaying them.

Feilacher said: "Some pieces featured in ‘liberty.!’ come from private collections and have never been shown before in Europe."

Speaking about the Art / Brut Gugging’s own role, he did not deny it could be described as that of an outsider.

"We built it all up from nothing in 2006," the museum founder and head said, adding: "I would not mind having more marketing so we could be represented better in public. But we need sponsors and it has been a challenge."

Feilacher said he would "love" to organise more specials to complement the museum’s permanent exhibitions, stressing that statistics show people who find their way to the museum stayed twice as long on average as Viennese museums’ visitors.

"But we need to consider every step we take very carefully. After I renovated the building’s first floor, the provincial government sponsored renovation of the second floor – and that’s how things go. It’s a bit as if I had to prove that it’s a good thing and we can do it," he said of developing the Art / Brut Gugging.

Feilacher said: "Now finally more and more people are talking about us and what we have on offer. Many people told me I was crazy when I revealed plans for a museum in the Lower Austrian countryside. But I don’t regret anything I’ve done for a minute as it's slowly but surely bearing fruit."

- - -

"liberty.!" runs at the Art / Brut Gugging until 14 March.

An Aloise Corbaz retrospective and an exhibition focusing on the work of Johann Hauser start on 26 March.

See www.gugging.org for more information.

Austrian Times

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