The American Folk Art Museum’s Contemporary Center and Education Department are presenting a weeklong series of programs and receptions to coincide with the Outsider Art Fair. From January 23 through January 28, the museum will present the third annual Outsider Art Week celebrating self-taught artists and their work.
Daily tours have been scheduled at the museum to look at the Martin Ramirez exhibition as well as contemporary objects in the permanent collection that are on view in the exhibition “Folk Art Revealed” and throughout the building. Other events include the screening of a new film, Purvis of Overtown, a day trip to visit a private collection, the annual Uncommon Artists talks by scholars, and a panel discussion about vernacular photography.
The opening night of the Outsider Art Fair, Thursday, January 25, is once again a benefit for the museum and supports exhibitions and educational programs. The preview party offers ticket holders a chance to make purchases before the fair opens to the general public. The benefit evening is from 6:30 to 9, with early admission at 5:30 and 6. In addition, the museum will have a special booth at the fair stocked with a selection of recent publications about self-taught artists and their works. Information about the museum, educational programs and membership opportunities will also be available at the booth.
Honorary chairs of the benefit evening are Andrea Joyce, reporter, NBC Sports, and Harry Smith, anchor, CBS News’s The Early Show. Collector tickets are $1,500 per person and include early admission at 5:30, a special collectors event at the home of a private collector, tickets to the Uncommon Artists talks and unlimited readmission to the fair. Benefactor tickets are $750 per person and include early admission at 5:30, a ticket to the Uncommon Artists talks and unlimited readmission to the fair. Patron tickets are $350 per person and include early admission at 6 and unlimited readmission to the fair. Patron tickets and above will receive a limited edition signed lithograph by Purvis Young or Vestie Davis and free admission to the film screening. Supporter tickets are $200 per person and include 6:30 admission and one readmission to the Outside Art Fair. All tickets include an after party at BLVD.
The schedule of events and programs includes exhibition tours, “Conversing with Contemporary Art,” highlighting the Martin Ramirez exhibition, Tuesday–Sunday, January 23–28, at 3 pm (free with museum admission); a film screening, Purvis of Overtown, Wednesday, January 24, 6:30 pm reception, 7 pm film ($10 general; $5 members, seniors, students); Outsider Art Fair Benefit Preview, Puck Building, Houston and Lafayette, Thursday, January 25, 5:30 to 9 pm, early admission 5:30 and 6 pm (for tickets, 212-977-7170, extension 308); Folk Art Explorers Day Trip, Friday, January 26, 10 am to 6 pm ($115 museum members only, with lunch additional), itinerary includes a curatorial tour of Martin Ramirez, visits to private home collections and guided tour of the Outsider Art Fair.
The Outsider Art Fair opens to the public, January 26–28. For information about the Outsider Art Fair, contact Sanford L. Smith & Associates, 212-777-5218.
“Uncommon Artists XV: A Series of Cameo Talks” will take place at the American Folk Art Museum on Saturday, January 27, at 10 am ($35 general; $30 members, seniors, students). Presenters include Victor M. Espinosa on Martin Ramirez; Nina Katschnig on current residents of Art/Brut Center, Gugging, Austria; John Ollman on Felipe Jesus Consalvos; and Adrian Swain on Charley, Noah, and Hazel Kinney.
“Talks and Dialogue, Vernacular Photography” will be presented at the American Folk Art Museum on Sunday, January 28, at 10 am ($15 general; $10 members, seniors, students). The talks focus on collections of photographs outside the discourse of photographic criticism and history. Speakers: John Foster, author; Frank Maresca, collector; and Brian Wallis, curator, International Center of Photography.
The American Folk Art Museum is at 45 West 53rd Street. For more information, www.folkartmuseum.org or 212-265-1040.
