#InTheLoop | Step Inside an LIC Hostel to Marvel at Outsider Art
BY QEDC It's In Queens
The Local NYC will display “Unbound: Authentic Visions and Voices” in its lounge and reception area from Thursday, Jan. 9, until Thursday, Feb. 27.
It’s the first-ever public exhibition by ART BreakOUT, an entity run by Lois Stavsky of the Street Art NYC blog and Bonnie Astor, who works with “outsider artists” or individuals who have little or no contact with the mainstream creative world, often due to health afflictions such as autism.
More than two dozen amateurs contributed to this eclectic show whose main themes include identity, trauma, hope, and resistance. Some of the works are vibrant, bold, and brightly-hued, while others are reflective, subdued, and poetic. All are for sale.
Many of the contributors have gallery space at The Living Museum, an art therapy program at the Creedmoor Psychiatric Institute in Queens Village. Others show at Fountain House Gallery, a Manhattan venue dedicated to displaying work by people with mental illness.
Issa Ibrahim and Susan Spangenberg worked collaboratively on an ominous mixed-media piece, while stencil specialist Moriah Ressler created a few hand-cut masks. John Tursi and Frank Boccio did several seductive paintings.
There’s also a fair amount of Southern folk art that Astor has collected over the years, thanks to her periodical gigs with a Mississippi River cruise ship. Plus, Peter Stefanides, a pain management doctor with offices in Bayside and Astoria, made vibrant digital prints.
The opening reception is on Jan. 9 from 6 pm to 9 pm., and many of the displayers will be on hand.
“It’s been a wonderful experience working with all these artists who are out of the radar,” Stavsky said. “They’re extremely talented and deserve attention.”
The Local NYC is at 13-02 44th Ave. in close proximity to Long Island City’s Court Square station for E, M, G, and 7 trains.
The term “outsider art” is a rough translation of the French “art brut” that 20th century French painter and sculptor Jean Dubuffet championed. He shunned mainstream concepts of high art and instead promoted what he thought were more authentic versions of human creativity.
Images: Courtesy of Bonnie Astor