Join us for our first Lunch & Learn of 2025. Alex Huninghake, Director & Curator of the Outsider Art Museum located at 2510 Portland Avenue in Louisville, Kentucky will deliver his program, “They Taught Themselves: The Brilliance of Outsider Art”, in the Cultural Arts Center’s lower level meeting room.

It has been one year since the Outsider Art Museum and Gallery opened for business with an exhibition of the artworks and songs by the late and beloved Louisville outsider artist, Mark Anthony Mulligan. According to Alex Huninghake, “The Outsider Art Museum & Gallery is all about celebrating the beauty and value of artists who are often underrepresented in the fine art world and museum/gallery context.” Additionally, “The goal is to elevate voices that may be marginalized by society and hopefully provide the artists we work with opportunities to sustain their creative practice by selling their work in our gift shop.”

The term “outsider artist” was first coined in 1972 by British art critic, Roger Cardinal. Outsider artists are self-taught individuals who create art outside the boundaries of official culture. Outsider artists often have little to no formal training and may not be a part of the mainstream art world. As a movement, outsider art is characterized by its raw, unbridled creativity and unconventional techniques. There is the use of unconventional materials and a focus on personal expression and emotional intensity. The use of repetition and pattern, obsessive details, and a sense of heightened connectivity to the universe are also common features. Additionally, outsider art often incorporates elements of spirituality, mythology, and fantasy, reflecting the artist’s inner world and experiences.

Sign up for this free opportunity to meet Alex Huninghake and to learn more about the fascinating artworks by outsider artists.