Seymour Perkins at San Angel Folk Art
Posted by ben on 31 Mar 2008 at 02:15 pm | Tagged as: upcoming events
San Angel Folk Art will be showing works by Rev. Seymour Perkins (an outsider artist covered by Emvergeoning here and here) in an exhibit curated by Kelli McDonald this Friday (April 4), 5-7 pm. The show will run through April 30.
What’s an “outsider artist?”
My view on this “exhibition” is that it’s exploitative and I think the term “outsider artist” speaks to that. This dude has some real issues and a spot on San Antonio’s contemporary art scene A-List probably doesn’t register on his priority radar.
I was in San Angel Folk Art recently (apparently it’s the one-stop shop for all things Rev. Seymour Perkins) and the way the owner of the shop (forget his name) talked about the Reverend and his work left a really bad taste in my mouth. I felt like I was listening to a used car salesman. Gallerists like that are repulsive.
I smell another Daniel Johnston-type debacle.
The term is used in many ways, but I think it usually refers to artists (like Daniel Johnston) who live with extreme mental states (aka “dudes with some real issues”). I think “outsider” refers more to their position with respect to mainstream society than their position within the art world.
Of course for any dealer there is going to be a fine line between “supporting” and “exploiting” an artist, but I sure can’t see the harm in Perkins selling some work. Hank Lee isn’t trying to save Perkins from himself, he is just trying to help the artist get some exposure and sell work.
Maybe you’re right about the Daniel Johnston comparison, but I have a hard time imagining Perkins getting anywhere near that level of success.
are you kidding Steve, Perkins surpassed Daniel Johnston light years ago.. ;)
It wasn’t an exact comparison, but you get the drift. We know the history of Johnston with the vultures that flew around him for a spell and now look where he is.
I don’t advocate for cities coming in and tearing people’s houses down, but we all know that his house is a shithole. Bless his heart, but the guy lives in filth. It would take probably $100,000 to get the house back in good condition. What good is it going to do him to keep it? What people should be advocating for is the building of a new house on the same spot. Fundraisers and everything. I would definitely support that, but the cause du jour is about fighting to keep him in his shithole. I don’t get it.
It’s not even about Perkins, in my mind, it’s about just taking a stance against the city and getting some free publicity and Perkins is in the background with his charming smile… oblivious.
I honestly don’t know what should be done about the house (if anything), but I think Perkins is more involved in the battle than that. He’s the one out there contacting the Current, trying to drum up support. He’s also the one taking artwork over to San Angel, trying to get money. He’s disconnected in certain ways, but he still knows how to play the game.
He sure does. He’s been living on Hackberry for too long to be totally innocent. The people in this neighborhood definitely know what they’re doing. I’ve had numerous people at my doorstep giving me Oscar-worthy performances.
Regardless, he’s out of his league if his work starts generating real (misguided) interest (which I doubt). I think this is what the guy at San Angel is hoping for.
The whole thing stinks like shit.
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Hello there. I intern at San Angel and I’ve been working on this show. In fact, I’m the one that wanted to do it as my project for this semester. I have been to Perkins house a few times, and yes, he does bring the work to San Angel. If the show goes well, it should raise money for him.
I must say- I felt the burn when I read “exploitation”. Perhaps you will think of me as some silly “misguided” youth, but the fact is I truly love Perkins work. His imagination and artistic eye really captivate me. I would never want to exploit anyone. I asked him about doing a show before I started working on it. In regards to his living situation, I would like Perkins to live how he wants to live- whatever way that might be. It’s not for me to decide.
Also, the term outsider artist usually refers to raw art, not under the influence of academia. It also entails that the artist does not follow mainstream culture. I have never seen it as an offensive term.
Thank you for reading, and I hope I could shine some light on this. I have no ill intentions! I am just a student and artist myself, trying to develop an understanding of the art world that can’t be taught in a classroom.
Thanks for the polite reply, Kelli. I’m sure your work on the exhibition is coming from a good place and I’m sure it will be a success. Good luck.
Programmed cell death
portrait of our daughter Klara
I would like to address Steve Peralta’s comments about “used car salesman” and “vulture”, Hank Lee, the owner of San Angel Folk Art. Hank has committed himself to his gallery for 19 years. His love of art and specifically, folk art has driven his commitment to the art and the artists. In the true old fashion (repulsive) gallerist tradition he has given stipends to artists so that they can work on their art and not have to work at another job that takes away the focus of their art. He has a sustainability program for some of the artists in Mexico that functions much in the same way that the stipens work for the “outsider” artist in the states. Hank sustains a lot of artists he works with, NOT exploits them. Hank creates such close relationships with the artists he works with he spends some Thanksgivings with them. In the perspective that Steve takes, he would see that as taking food out of their “oblivious” mouths. To speak specifically to the issue of Perkins show at San Angel, we have had Perkins’ artwork in the gallery for years. He has been a source of pride for us way before all of the controversy began over his house. Hank has helped Perkins get inclusion on PBS shows for visionary environments because he sees the value of people knowing about this amazing artist. Which brings me to the gallery/artist relationship. When did it become suspect to help an artist sell their work? San Angel has been helping Perkins sell his work for years. When you have been working with artists for as long as Hank has with the artists in the gallery they become your extended family, warts and all.
Lastly, the thing that “stinks like shit” is that Steve seems to have an ulterior motive of property value depreciation of his neighborhood. The exploitation of Perkins is by Steve in using him as a scapegoat for the ills of the East Side.