In a time of war and oppression, freedom of expression is often the first casualty.
Anyone can use a paintbrush and some oils. Just try making great art with chocolate syrup or rotting garbage.
When may a disabled artist be considered, simply, an artist?
Scrawl something on a piece of public property. Will you get arrested or given a show in Paris?
How much does what you know about an artist change how you define and value their work?
Art on the Periphery
Outsider. Folk. Street. Sacrilege. Treasonous. Unconventional. Vernacular. Naïve. Visionary. The terms we use to define art that does not fall into popular conceptions of “high art” or “fine art” are as numerous as they are fluid. Explore our collection of films and interactive features about the spectacular variety of art that lives outside the establishment.
The Films
Explore Independent Lens films about unconventional art and artists from around the world who have challenged our presumptions about beauty. From censored art in Uzbekistan to Basquiat’s street art in Manhattan, from the world’s largest landfill to the mind of an artist with a brain injury, we’ll circle the globe by surfing art’s fringes. Explore the films >>
the National Endowment for the Arts