Almost two decades ago, Linda Rainaldi was driving along a rural road in Roquevaire, France, when she encountered something truly astonishing. She stopped her car and stood transfixed before a fairytale-like house. Every inch of its two stories – including the shutters, roof tiles, and even the interior furniture – was covered with brilliantly coloured artwork made from bits of ceramic tiles.
At the time, Rainaldi, a Vancouver-based art historian, lawyer, and scholar, had no idea that finding self-taught artist Danielle Jacqui’s house would ignite a lifelong fascination with outsider art. She later realized that research on this genre in Canada was so scarce that she felt compelled to fill the gap. Her recently published book, Outsider Art of Canada, culminates her quest to define this poorly understood genre and document her journey across Canada to meet outsider artists in person.
It wasn’t an easy task. By definition, outsider artists are not featured in most galleries or represented in art collections. Some don’t share their work with anyone, and many don’t even recognize themselves as artists. To find such art, Rainaldi rummaged through garbage cans, wandered through flea markets and thrift stores, searched for people selling art on the streets, and spread the word through her blog.
The result of her years of dedication is a magnificently illustrated, thoroughly researched and deeply insightful book that highlights intimate stories and biographies, many based on in-person interviews, of approximately 40 Canadian outsider artists.
The inclusion of these artists in the established art world is both long overdue and perfectly timed. Gallerists, museums, and the broader art community are increasingly embracing a wider diversity of creators. This moment offers an opportunity to move beyond academically trained artists and celebrate the self-driven, passionate, and captivating talent showcased in Rainaldi’s labour of love book. ■
OTHER ART BOOK REVIEWS YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED
- Bookmark: New Book about Bertram Brooker
- The Role of Textiles in Relation to Art
- The Quest for the Meaning of Art
- Quick Pick - J.E.H. MacDonald: Up Close
- Mary Pratt: A Love Affair with Vision
- The Role of Textiles in Relation to Art
- Surreal Spaces: The Art and Life of Leonora Carrington
- Early Days: Indigenous Art from the McMichael
- Bianca Bosker: The Quest for the Meaning of Art
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