Norbert Kox (1945–2018)

One of the greatest visionary artists of his generation, Norbert Kox was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Whilst a member of the notorious “Outlaws” biker gang, he began working on custom bikes and cars, soon progressing to painting on other items, creating artworks from salvaged objects. Leaving the biker gang was an emotional struggle, which he only achieved through immersing himself in religion. Kox soon found that he disbelieved the conventional teachings of Christianity, preferring his own interpretations. He joined the army and, with the help of art instruction books, began painting.

Between 1975 and 1985, Kox went through a period of religious isolation, living as a hermit in the wilderness of his personal outdoor chapel known as “Gospel Road.” On his return to Green Bay, he continued to work on his apocalyptic yet spiritual paintings, making use of nineteenth- and twentieth-century American religious imagery, changing their context and meaning to call attention to counterfeit Christianity.

His religious visions of the battle between good and evil detail spiritual scriptures and examine the worship of false icons. Kox employed a complex layering technique, depositing layers of vivid oils and watercolours before adding a final glazing, giving a translucent quality. He recently opened his own museum to display his work in Gilett, Wisconsin and was just featured in Raw Vision #99.

Creativity Explored, San Francisco

January 7 – March 10, 2019

"Marilyn Wong: Catching Spirit" focuses on recent works on paper by Wong, which translate an enduring captivation with pop culture into densely layered compositions.

Creativity Explored Gallery
3245 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
www.creativityexplored.org

Outsider Art at Harvard University Asia Center

Li Ben

January 30 – March 8, 2019

"Eye Eye Nose Mouth: Art, Disability, and Mental Illness in Nanjing, China and Shiga-ken, Japan" at the Harvard University Asia Center explores the intersection of art,
disability, and mental health by displaying original works on paper and sculptures created by ten groundbreaking, self-taught artists from China and Japan. This is the first exhibition of works produced in art workshops for people with disabilities ever to take place at Harvard, and only the second devoted to self-taught artists.

The opening reception on January 29 from 5:30pm to 7:00pm (CGIS South Concourse), will be preceded by an interdisciplinary academic symposium (3:00pm to 5:00pm, Harvard University Asia Center, CGIS South, Belfer Case Study Room) that will provide further context on the broader aesthetic, legal, and sociopolitical conditions under which each of these workshops operates. 

Harvard University Asia Center
CGIS South Concourse, 1730 Cambridge St, Cambridge MA 02138

Maroncelli 12, Milan

until January 31, 2019

"Side effects" is a personal exhibition that presents Mauro Gottardo’s work, from his very first creations.

Maroncelli 12
Via Maroncelli, 12 – 20154 Milan, Italy
www.maroncelli12.it