'Self-taught Art'

JOHNSON CITY (July 13, 2018) – “Self-taught Art by Any of Its Names,” an exhibition celebrating the work of over 20 self-taught artists, will be on display from July 26-Sept. 27 at the Reece Museum at East Tennessee State University.

The exhibit is presented by the Reece Museum and ETSU’s Mary B. Martin School of the Arts in cooperation with Grey Carter – Objects of Art in McLean, Virginia.  Carter, who has been collecting works by and representing self-taught artists for over five decades, curated the exhibit.

“Self-taught Art by Any of Its Names” explores the work of artists who have not attended art school, but who, nonetheless, create compelling art. 

As the exhibition title suggests, the work of these artists is commonly given such labels as “outsider,” “folk,” “visionary,” “primitive” or “naïve.”  For the artists, it is their background, environment, or even personal challenges that typically garner more attention than the artwork itself.

The exhibition begs the questions: “Should not their work be acknowledged and accepted for what it is?” and “Why shouldn’t these artists’ efforts be recognized without the implied caveats of additional labels or unique storyline?”

An opening reception for the exhibit will be held Thursday, July 26, and a closing reception on Thursday, Sept. 27, both from 5-7 p.m. at the Reece Museum.

The Reece Museum is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and its exhibits and receptions are free and open to the public.

For more information, call the Reece Museum at 423-439-4392.   For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at 423-439-8346.