The Henry Darger Room

Entering the secretive world of outsider artist Henry Darger can be fascinating, but also unsettling for those unfamiliar with him. Darger was a reclusive school janitor, World War I veteran, and prolific writer and artist. He passed away in the 1970s and when they began to clear out his room they discovered a book he had written that was several thousand pages long about an epic tale about the Vivian Girls and their adventures. Darger had a wonderful visual sense of narrative and also used tracing as a recurring technique within his drawings. 

Darger had a distorted understanding of children, depicting them sometimes naked and in graphic scenarios that usually dealt with loss and the exploitation of innocence. He never openly expressed whether or not he wanted his work to be exhibited, casually mentioning before his death that everything he owned could just get burned or thrown away.

At the Intuit Center, they've permanently recreated his room that he lived in for many years and filled it many actually objects he owned. It's a fascinating place about a very fascinating person. Below I've included that full documentary about Darger, "The Realms of the Unreal".

 

The Henry Darger full documentary "The Realms of the Unreal" (Youtube):

Intuit Center and Lee Godie

Recently John and I were able to check out a really fascinating museum in Chicago. Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art features works of 'outsider art' or art produced without a formal art background. It is worth noting that outsider art has contextual prejudices, which is unfortunate, because so many artists create so many interesting and beautiful regardless of having a formal art education. Intuit embraces outsider art and it was quaint exhibition space featuring some really remarkable things.

Currently on view at Intuit is a wonderful photography show by Lee Godie. Godie was known for hanging outside the front steps of the Art Institute of Chicago as well as taking self-portraits inside photo booths in Chicago's Union Station. Godie's portraits definitely evoke Cindy Sherman, yet she offers her take and awareness on art production. Godie's photos can be humorous, sometimes elegant, but with an undertone of loneliness. I'm grateful to have been able to visit the museum and see Godie's photos. Next week I'll be sharing photos from Intuit's Henry Darger room.