Jean Dubuffet (1901–1985)

I don't particularly like Dubuffet's paintings or sculpture but I've been interested in him for 2 main reasons: 1. his connection w/ the founding of the L'Art Brut museum (I went to Lausanne, Switzerland in 1978 esp to visit it), 2. his records of his own primitive music - ie: of him playing instruments w/o knowledge of how to play them as if he were a caveman (or whatever) encountering them for the 1st time. This bk of his proposed bldgs is basically just a bk of paintings/sculptures show more imagined as bldgs &, I must say, that improves them for me conceptually enormously. If one of these were ever to be built (have they? I doubt it - but I don't know) they wd certainly be STRIKING. NEWS FLASH! I didn't think any of these, or others like them, had ever been built, but, then, Lo & Behold!, I came across a photo of Dubuffet's own "Closerie Falballa" on his 4 acre estate in Perigny-sur-Yerres near Paris. Utterly amazing. REALLY. My respect for Dubuffet is raised quite a few notches. My biggest hesitation, though, is: How did he afford this? I know, I know, he's a famous artist who sells his work for big bucks. Nonetheless, I hesitate because I usually figure that anyone w/ money has gotten it by ripping someone else off. That sd, these Dubuffet architectural projects, esp when actually realized, are praiseworthy. show less

While the scattered bits here affirming minor art are something I can fully get behind, Dubuffet spends much too much time haranguing about cultural institutions and establishment art. It's a serious imbalance that wore me down.
That's okay. Don't need to be a great writer to be a great painter, and he's still one of my favorites in the latter category.

First MoMA retrospective of Jean Dubuffet, the French painter who promoted the expression "art brut" to refer to art of the mentally ill, children, folk art, and other "primitives." Influenced by these untrained artists, Dubuffet was looking for authenticity and his paintings are often identified with the post-war existential philosophy of his contemporary Jean-Paul Sartre. This MoMA catalogue is the first big presentation of his work in the United States, curated by Peter Selz.

The Work of show more Jean Dubuffet by Peter Howard Selz is a comprehensive examination of the life and art of French artist Jean Dubuffet. Dubuffet was a pioneer of the Art Brut movement, which championed the work of untrained artists and those on the fringes of society. Selz delves into Dubuffet's early life, his artistic influences, and his development as an artist. The book also explores the themes and techniques that defined Dubuffet's work, including his use of unconventional materials and his interest in the texture and physicality of his paintings. Selz includes numerous illustrations of Dubuffet's work, providing readers with a visual understanding of his unique style. The Work of Jean Dubuffet is an essential resource for anyone interested in the life and work of this influential artist. show less

I've read Asphyxiating Culture in Portuguese, not this translation.
This essay questions the usefulness of culture, equating ideas in our mind with furniture in a room. A single bad one may ruin the whole. The idea that aquiring new ideas is good is therefore atacked, with gusto.

I really enjoyed and find myself remenbering it from time to time.