INTERIOR MOTIVES

The genesis of this show is actually some musings of my own. I was thinking about the fact that "Outsider" artists, (or in other words, "Art Brut" artists) are — by definition — not making "art." They are making things because it has become necessary to do so. It may be god's word being recorded (e.g. J.B. Murry) or god's image appearing in the sky (e.g. P.M. Wentworth) or it may be directed by a spirit (e.g. Madge Gill) or even a deceased relative (e.g. Hiroyuki Doi). Some would say that the creator has some "ulterior motive."

However, the word "ulterior" doesn't work in this case, for it has the implication of the something devious. I have therefore utilized the word "interior" to serve along with "motive" as the title of the current show.

I have included a few artists who are not "outsiders" by any means but who themselves invariably utilize or evoke certain issues or techniques. Robert Colescott, for example cannot not reference racial and gender issues, Elsa Mora always includes Cuba in her thoughts and Zush is obsessed with his own personal language.

In other words, what we see here is NOT DIALOGUE with another artist or even a dialogue with art history.

Zush (born Alberto Porta in Barcelona in 1946 and currently known as Evru)
— Evruno: The Intellectual, 1984 —
mixed media on paper
28 x 68.5