Curator’s Word | Isil Ezgi Celik
In an age governed by capitalist ideologies that dictate both how we create and appreciate, the realms of mental health and artistic endeavour present stark challenges. This exhibition, “Inside the Outside,” seeks to champion a relational ontology that appreciates diversity not for mere integration but as a force to enrich and redefine our understanding of what it means to be human. Mental health, often sidelined as merely a topic for philosophical debate, prompts us to scrutinise and question the norms dictated by capitalist imperatives.
“Inside the Outside” invites you to journey through the narratives of those who create from the fringes—the unbridled and raw expressions that collide with the rigid boundaries of societal expectations. Here, within the vibrant dialogue of Art Brut, we find art’s true capacity to challenge, diversify, and advocate for a fundamental rethinking of mental health paradigms. By engaging with the works of those labelled as outsiders, we begin to recognise the profound value of their perspectives in shaping a society that genuinely embraces every facet of human expression.
This space is where contrasts converge—the ‘mad’ and the ‘sane’, the insider and the outsider. It’s a realm where the delineations of normality blur, each brushstroke and line drawn bearing witness to the unyielding power of human creativity in the face of capitalism’s homogenising influence. Celebrating these marginal voices not only confronts the prevailing oppressive structures but also lays the groundwork for a future rich in diversity and true inclusivity.
Artworks:
Albert LOUDEN, Untitled, 1981, Dry pastel on carton, 43,5×55 cm
Martha GRÜNENWALDT, Untitled, 1975-85, Color pencil on paper, 33,5×50 cm
Rosemarie KOCZY, Untitled, 1985, Chinese ink on paper, 35×26 cm
Rosemarie KOCZY, Untitled, 1985, Plume and chinese ink on paper, 36×27, 4 cm
Rosemarie KOCZY, Untitled, 1985, Plume and chinese ink on paper, 36×27,4 cm
Michel NEDJAR, Untitled, 1987, Soft lead pencil and gouache on paper, 50×50 cm
Michel NEDJAR, Untitled, 1986, Soft lead pencil and gouache on paper, 23×16 cm
Michel NEDJAR, Untitled, 1986, Soft lead pencil and gouache on paper, 23×16 cm
Gérard SENDREY, Personages, 1997, Plume and chinese ink on paper, 32,5×24,5 cm
Gérard SENDREY, Couples, 2001, Plume and chinese ink on paper, 32,5×24,5 cm
Hérve BONHERT, Dead head, Unknown date, Color on paper, 56×76
Hérve BONHERT, Dead musician, Unknown date, Color on paper, 56×76
Hideaki YOSHIKAWA, Eye eye nose mouth, 2008, Marker on paper, 380×540
Hideaki YOSHIKAWA, Eye eye nose mouth, 2013, Clay, Min 160×80×75 -Max 530×150×160 mm
Hideaki YOSHIKAWA, Eye eye nose mouth, 1995, Clay, 540×275×265 mm
Kazumi KAMAE, Mr Masato, 2012, Clay, 380×330×300 mm
Kazumi KAMAE, Mr Masato, 2012, Clay, 570×280×300 mm
Kazumi KAMAE, Face, 2007, Clay, 540×310×280 mm
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Inside the Outside is an international Art Brut/Marginal Art exhibition, curated by Işil E. Çelik in collaboration with the commercial Galerie Ritsch-Fisch in France and the governmental creative atelier for people with mental disorders, Atelier Yamanami in Japan. The exhibition features 20 artworks from well-known Marginal Art creators across Europe and North America, alongside 10 pieces by renowned artists with mental disorders from Japan. This selection aims to offer a parallel and critically discursive view of the perceptions of mental health and marginalisation in the West and Japan, challenging and rethinking mental health within capitalist frameworks.
The event is enriched with performances by artists Kazumi Kamae and Hideaki Yoshikawa, and opens with a talk by Masato Yamashita, Director of Atelier Yamanami.
