A global history of self-taught artists advocating for a nuanced understanding of modern and contemporary art often challenged by the establishment When the art world has paid attention to makers from outside the cultural establishment, including so-called outsider and self-taught artists, it has generally been within limiting categories. Yet these artists, including many women, people with disabilities, and people of color, have had a transformative effect on the history of modern art. Responding to growing interest in these artists, this book offers a nuanced history of their work and how it has been understood from the early twentieth century to the present day. Nonconformers includes work by Henry Darger, Hilma af Klint, and Bill Traylor alongside that of many other artists who deserve widespread recognition. The book reviews how self-taught artists influenced key movements of twentieth-century art and highlights the voices of contemporary practitioners, offering new interviews with William Scott, Mamadou Cisse, and George Widener. An international group of contributors addresses topics such as the development of the Black Folk Art movement in America and l'Art Brut in France, the creative process of self-taught artists working outside of traditional studios, and the themes of figuration, landscape, and abstraction. Global in scope and with chronological breadth, this alternative narrative is an essential introduction to the genre long known as "Outsider Art."

The fast-paced demands of a global economy make it increasingly difficult for folk and traditional artists to stay true to their heritages. All too often, artists either isolate themselves in an impossible struggle against the modern world or give up traditional methods and practices to follow current trends. "Forms of Tradition in Contemporary Spain" is a groundbreaking study of contemporary Spanish folk art and traditional artists. It charts the varied routes artists have found to evade these pitfalls while pursuing their art.

Through case studies of four considerably different kinds of artists-a traditional potter, a couple who create huge papier-mache figures for festival processions and dancing, a group of masked, costumed "devils" who enliven traditional street theatre with modern pyrotechnics, and an idiosyncratic builder of one of the most spectacular art environments known worldwide-this book broadens the existing understanding of traditional arts by creating a more realistic and expansive interpretation of tradition and the influences upon each creative act.

Featuring 142 color photographs and 9 black-and-white illustrations, this work is a major contribution to the field of art history as well as a celebration of the artists it profiles. The artists were chosen because each is emblematic of a particular tradition and each represents a distinct relationship with a given community. In addition to analyzing and describing the art and artists featured in the book, Jo Farb Hernandez uses these case studies to achieve a broader range of understanding. Breaking down old divisions in art history, she presents information which has not received much attention in the U.S. and provides access to work that was previously available only in Spanish or Catalan.

Author of books, catalogs, and articles, Jo Farb Hernandez, Watsonville, California, is the director/curator of the Natalie and James Thompson Art Gallery, School of Art and Design, San Jose State University, and is the Principal of Curatorial and Museum Management Services.