May 7 2021 #215
Houston Art Cars
From May 14–16, the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art will be transformed into the Houston Art Car Experience featuring a temporary installation of 80 mobile masterpieces.
Spread out over five acres, it tells the story of the Art Car phenomenon in Houston and beyond, while showcasing classic works from the past three decades along with never-before-seen artistic wonders that will amaze and inspire.
For further information or to buy tickets, please visit: www.artcarexperience.com
Visionary Embroidery:
Rosa Zharkikh
Vivienne Roberts interviewed the Moscow Museum of Outsider Art's Director, Vladimir Abakumov and Deputy Director, Anna Yarkina about the museum's collection of works by Rosa Zharkikh (1930–2015).
Holographic Patterns of the Ocean, 2003 Embroidery by Rosa Zharkikh
How did you hear about the work of Rosa Zharkikh and when did you acquire the works for the museum?
Anna Yarkina: We were told about the strange drawings and embroideries of a lonely woman from a documentary filmmaker who was a visitor at our permanent exhibition in 1996. She told us that while working on one of her films, she met a strange woman who drew unusual images and kept her drawings under a mattress.
[...] We realized that it would be difficult to persuade her to part with them, since they formed a microcosm that surrounded her with reflections of her ‘parallel world’. However, negotiations resulted in the opportunity to exhibit several of Rosa’s drawings and embroideries [in 1996].
Raw Vision #42 (1998) featuring Rosa Zharkikh
Some of her works have symbols and messages in them. Did she explain the meaning behind these? Was she surprised at what she was able to produce?
Rosa was unwilling to reveal the meaning of the mysterious messages that are scattered throughout her drawings. Part of them are based on the alphabet invented by Rosa herself – they were clear to her only. Besides these, there were the inscriptions which even Rosa could not interpret.
To read the full interview, go to MediumisticArt.com.
Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art:
Gordon W. Bailey Donation
The Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art in Mississippi has announced a major donation of 50 artworks by Los Angeles-based advocate and collector Gordon W. Bailey.
Untitled, Minnie Evans, (c. 1946-48). Mixed media on paper, 11.75 x 8.75 in. (29.85 x 22.22 cm). Courtesy Gordon W. Bailey Collection
Highlights include works by Almon, Dial, Lucas, and Young; one of a few extant whirligigs created by noted sculptor David Butler; a rare 1946 work by Minnie Evans; the poignant oil Melrose by the late Louisiana centenarian Clementine Hunter; Pretty Women, a group of four lovely ladies carved by the well-known Sulton Rogers; and a superb collection of southern folk pottery.
Heaven, Earth, Hell, Leroy Almon (c.1987). Acrylic on canvas, 33.5 x 41.5 in. (85 x 104 cm). Gordon W. Bailey Collection
The Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art will showcase Bailey’s donation in the exhibition Changing Tides: Gifts from Gordon W. Bailey, opening July 12.
Man Must Always Beware And Pray Against His Nature, Herbert Singleton (c. 1990s). Carved and painted wood bas relief, 20 x 60 x 1 in. (50.8 x 152.4 x 2.54 cm). Gordon W. Bailey Collection
Pallant House Gallery:
Madge Gill, All Souls Commission
Ahead of Pallant's exhibition, All Souls: The Outside In Co-Commission 2020, author, illustrator and artist Ayshea Ahmed discusses the artist who inspired this year’s co-commission – Madge Gill.
Her recently published book The Wonderful World of Madge Gill is a joyous, colourful, illustrated exploration of the Outsider artist’s unique story.
Born into Victorian London and admitted to an orphanage at the age of nine, Madge Gill’s body of work, created in unison with her sprit guide, whom she named ‘Myrninerest’, is amongst the most extraordinary and enigmatic examples of Outsider Art.
Madge gill at work, as shown in Raw Vision #87
One day in 1920, at the age of 38, Madge looked up into the sky, where she was greeted with an incredible vision of a crucified, floating Jesus, surrounded by angels and a great number of children. This sighting was the catalyst for Madge’s sudden possession by Myrninerest under whose behest she began to draw, paint, sew and write.
Upon her death in 1961, aged 79, hundreds of artworks were found intact, squirreled away, within her home. The majority of the work was donated to Newham Council where it is still carefully preserved to this day.
Artwork by Ayshea Ahmed. Read the full piece at pallant.org.uk.
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