What is Outsider Art?
Outsider Art is art created by people who exist outside the established art world. These are self-taught artists, people with psychiatric conditions, prisoners, or visionaries — creators who never attended art school and whose work emerges purely from an inner compulsion to create.
The Origin: Art Brut by Jean Dubuffet
The term Art Brut — literally raw art — was introduced in the 1940s by French artist Jean Dubuffet. He was fascinated by the uncensored creativity of people untouched by academic traditions. Dubuffet collected thousands of works and founded the Collection de l’Art Brut, still housed today in Lausanne, Switzerland.
In the English-speaking world, the broader term Outsider Art became the umbrella term for similar work. Both terms are often used interchangeably, though nuanced differences exist.
Characteristics of Outsider Art
- Authenticity — the work arises purely from inner necessity, not to sell or gain recognition
- Unique visual language — personal symbols, recurring motifs and a recognisable style found nowhere else
- Raw and direct — no academic polish, but expressive and unfiltered
- Personal mythology — many Outsider artists build their own visual universe
Norbert de Jong: Outsider Art from Amsterdam
Norbert de Jong is a Dutch Outsider Art artist whose work has made an impression for years. His paintings combine vivid colours, expressive figures and a personal visual language developed over time. He works primarily in mixed media — acrylic paint combined with collage elements and texture.
His work is regularly shown at exhibitions, including the Art Brut Biënnale in Hengelo and at Atelier Brut Amsta in Amsterdam. The untamed honesty of his art speaks directly to collectors and art enthusiasts.
Collecting Outsider Art
More and more collectors are discovering the value of Outsider Art — works that are timeless in their authenticity. Browse Norbert de Jong’s work in the webshop and discover his unique paintings and mixed media artworks.