An exhibition showcasing further displays from the Musgrave Kinley Outsider Art Collection has just gone on show at the Irish Museum of Modern Art. Art Without Precedent: Nine Artists from the Musgrave Kinley Outsider Collection, focuses specifically on works by artists whose work practices are seen to embrace leading issues relating to Outsider Art. Although from widely diverging backgrounds, the artists all share a lack of formal art training, a powerful creative imagination and a fascination with the spiritual and mythological world. All share an ability to focus single-mindly on their own inner vision, uninhibited by the weight of art history or training.
The exhibition comprises works by Carlo (Italy), Henry Darger (US), Madge Gill (Britain), ‘J.B’ Murry (US), Michael Nedjer (France), Carl Peploe (Britain), Oswald Tschirtner (Austria), Ben Wilson (Britain), and Anna Zemankova (Czechoslovakia). Of these only Ben Wilson received a basic introduction to formal art education and that is not reflected in his work. Madge Gill and ‘J.B’ Murry disclaim any personal responsibility for their work, and refer to the spirit that works through them. Artists such as Carlo and Tschirtner were, or still are, working from within psychiatric hospitals. This selection also highlights the international nature of the collection.
The Musgrave Kinley Outsider Art Collection was established in 1981 by the British writer, film-maker and gallery director, Victor Musgrave, and his companion, Monika Kinley. The Collection was to have formed the nucleus of a proposed public museum of outsider art. When that was not possible the Collection was offered to the Irish Museum of Modern Art – its first public home. Since Victor Musgrave’s death in 1984, Monika Kinley has continued the work of forming a representative collection to be made available to the public. The first Irish exhibition of work from the Outsider Art Collection, Art Unsolved, was held at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in 1998. Since then, works by Outsiders have been represented in all displays of the Museum’s own Collection. It was recently announced
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that the collection of 750 works by some 70 artists is now on indefinate loan to the Museum. The exhibition continues until 17 May.
Admission is free.
For further information and colour and black and white images please contact Philomena Byrne or Onagh Carolan at Tel : +353 1 612 9900,
Fax : +353 1 612 9999
14 February 2000