I met New York Abstract Expressionist Michael Goldberg in 2001 and worked with him until his passing at the age of 83 in late 2007. Watching him paint, reading books from his vast library and being a part of his life was a blessing that I thank the universe for. Last month I was approached by the Head Conservator from The Smithsonian Museum to work with her on a project to document the working practice and materials of the late artist. The Museum's collection includes a range of paintings spanning Goldberg's career and in a small way, I get to contribute to American history and the preservation of the legacy of this fantastic artist! [caption id="attachment_7130" align="alignleft" width="564"] Sardines, 1955 Michael Goldberg. Collection of the Smithsonian Museum[/caption]

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When I think about these words by Jeanette Winterson, I can't help but think of the work of the outsider artist. The term ‘outsider art’ was coined in 1972 as an English equivalent of the French term ‘art brut’, which literally translated means raw art. It basically refers to unrestrained artwork created by self-taught, fringe dwellers such as folk artists, the mentally ill, the incarcerated, the recluse and the eccentric. In other words, artwork created by those unbound by the cultural norm. Because such artists are removed from cultural and academic standards, it is believed that a purely creative impulse motivates and drives their work. Canonized artists seeking a new, raw form of expression beyond the academicism of western tradition like Picasso, Klee, Matisse, Miro & Dubuffet developed a keen interest in this impulsive form of art making. They collected the work of outsider artists & used their imagery as a source of inspiration for their own art. Check out the relationship below between ‘Totem’ by outsider artist Gaston Chaissac (left) & ‘Figure’ by Pablo Picasso (right).

Contemporary artists such as TWFA's Chris Retsina still draw inspiration from outsider art - See below 'Ghon Fucci #3' by Chris Retsina. There is a raw quality to this type of work that is engaging and confronting on a primal level. In these cases, what may appear clumsy or untrained is actually a deliberate neglect of academic technique and a disregard for the norm or the expected, a pursuit of creative freedom. The practice of the outsider artist is essentially rebellious and pure, with an innocence that is very compelling if you rid yourself of expectation and see beauty in aesthetic relationships beyond the cultural norm. Let's be honest, we all strive to be different, free, and Outsider Art is an uncontrived realization of this ambition.  

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A great feature on the business in last weekends Eye Magazine. One little error in the last sentence, we are COMING SOON to James St in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley, not Burleigh Heads but we'll forgive them! [divider]

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The art market is quite literally a market place, where investors buy and sell artworks with profit as their motive. For an art lover, it is somewhat strange for me to think art about it this way, but I understand how the market works and appreciate that when you are spending an extraordinary amount of money on something, you'd like to think that it will hold it's value or even better, appreciate in value over time. Collecting takes a keen eye and an understanding of the artists place in societies present discourse. Our team wants to take the guess work out of collecting - by working with legendary & innovative contemporary artists, we offer an authentic collecting experience for first time buyers and collectors alike. Most well known (for now at least) from our portfolio is Michael Goldberg (1924-2007). Goldberg was a generation younger than the core group of New York School painters--Rothko, Pollock, de Kooning - and while he was frequently classified as a second-generation member of this illustrious group, this designation referred more to the artist's age than the quality of his paintings. Goldberg's ouevre is characterized by only one constant: nimble, improvisational reinvention. While he remained deeply committed to abstraction, over the course of his long career -from the 1940s until his death in 2007 - Goldberg reconceptualized the visual, aesthetic and material boundaries of abstract painting. Over the past 5 years, Goldberg's work has been selling for record prices at auction. In 2008 an Untitled piece from 1956 (above left) sold for a whopping $208,000 USD at Christies in NYC. That same year, The Keep - painted in 1958 (above right) sold for $183,000 USD. Our creative team originated in New York City and comprises of artists, critics, historians and academics with a common love of all things art, and a passion to make art accessible to everyone. We have been able to work with the Estate's of artists like Michael Goldberg and others who love art and who would like their work to be available to people with a more modest budget. Our pieces are for those of us who are interested in buying art that not only speaks to them, but art that will be a worthwhile investment for the future.  

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