henry darger

About

Henry Darger, born in 1892 in Chicago, Illinois, is an iconic figure of outsider art whose life was marked by isolation and adversity. Unlike Dubuffet, Darger lived and created in total anonymity, with no intention of exposing his work to the public.

ARTWORK

Henry Darger's artistic vision is important not only for its originality, but also for what it represents in the context of contemporary art. Darger exemplifies how art can be a form of resistance and a means of emotional survival. His imaginary world allowed him to escape the harsh reality of his daily life, and through his art, he found a place where his voice could be heard.

Inspiration

The images of the Vivian Girls and the various characters that populate their stories are charged with symbolism and express a profound duality between childlike innocence and brutal violence.

Techniques

Darger's illustrations, often using collage and watercolour techniques, display a unique inventiveness and sensitivity. His ability to transform ordinary materials into scenes of great emotional intensity makes him a master of self-taught art.

Photograph from huffpost.com.

CURRENT ARTIST

Morton Bartlett

As an enigmatic outsider art icon, Morton Bartlett captured his unique view of the world in his fascinating doll sculptures.
Despite his dedication, Bartlett never showed his work during his lifetime.

His art was not discovered until after his death in 1992, when his collection of figures and photographs came to light.

This discovery aroused great interest in the art community, as it revealed the unique perspective of a self-taught artist who had created an entire universe in the privacy of his home.

Photograph from metmuseum.org.

ARTCASES