Henry Darger, Grimecian Gazoonian, n.d.. Watercolor and pencil on paper, 19 x 24 in (48 x 61 cm). Courtesy of Andrew Edlin, Gallery, New York

The Doors of Perception: Visionary Artists at Frieze New York

By PAUL LASTER, May, 2019

Seeing Frieze Magazine and Frieze Art Fairs co-founder Amanda Sharp on opening day of the fair I told her that I was going to write about “The Doors of Perception” exhibition, to which she replied, “It’s my favorite thing here.” It’s no wonder, with 318 works by 40 visionary artists, it’s the biggest thing in the tent.

Organized as a collaboration between Frieze New York and the Outsider Art Fair (OAF) and curated by artist Javier Téllez, “The Doors of Perception” features an outstanding selection of works by self-taught artists, psychiatric patients and self-proclaimed visionaries.  

Janko Domsic, Untitled, n.d. Ballpoint pen on cardboard, 12 x 16 in (30 x 41 cm). Collection: Alain Bourbonnais

Ranging from such celebrated masters of Outsider Art and Art Brut as Adolf Wölfli, Henry Darger, Martín Ramírez and Eugene Von Bruenchenhein to current creators like Noviadi Angkasapura, George Widener and Davood Koochaki, the artists have multiple pieces coming from such OAF leading galleries in the field as Henry Boxer, Cavin-Morris, Creative Growth Art Center, Andrew Edlin, Carl Hammer, Pol Lemétais, Polysémie, Ricco/ Maresca and SHRINE, as well as several private collections

Noviadi Angkasapura, Untitled, 2017. Ballpoint pen and graphite on paper, 12 x 16 in (30.5 x 40.5 cm). Courtesy of Cavin-Morris Gallery, New York

The Doors of Perception: Visionary Artists at Frieze New York