See Unexpected Works at NYC's Outsider Art Fair

You don't have to take my word for it. According to Jerry Saltz, the down-to-earth Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic, for his money, The New York Outsider Art Fair is the BEST art fair in the world. It is happening this weekend in New York City. Go!

The 2025 Outsider Art Fair is the place to be for anyone who loves to discover new and unusual creations from what is referred to as “untrained,” “self-taught,” or “art brut” artists. Here, you will see the work of makers that create from a place of deep emotional drive and not because of commercial or career aspirations. The fair “...embraces art from the fringes,” said Andrew Edlin, the fair’s owner. The word fringe can replace some of the more controversial explanations used to categorize what many of the stakeholders in the art world clash over when it comes to trying to pinpoint this genre. Regardless, call it what you want; visionary or genius, untrained, self-taught, naïve. Just know you will love what you see, what you learn, what you hear, and the whole experience of this art fair.

A sense of surprise and discovery swirls among the fair. The stories of the artists' lives are equally as fascinating as their artwork. As you roam the booths and chat with the gallerists that represent these artist outsiders with an almost evangelical zeal, you will learn their backstories. Many have been creating in non-typical settings, have mental or physical challenges, are working with whatever materials they have available to them, have no formal training, or have had spiritual or religious experiences that inform their work over and over again.

Some artists have been discovered after their death, usually because they were never making art for commercial consumption and worked alone, not for an agent, gallery, or exhibition. Such is the story of Abraham Lincoln Walker, featured at the fair this year. Lincoln's treasure trove of fantasmagoric paintings were brought to the attention of a St. Louis art dealer just last year by the artist's son, Link, thirty years after his father's death. The work is on display at Andrew Edlin’s booth and is a must see.

In the stall of Fleisher/Ollman, a long-established gallery for self-taught artists, you will get an outsider art primer by seeing museum-caliber pieces by Bill Traylor, Howard Finster, Morton Bartlett, David Butler, Minnie Evans, and others. Pan American Art, Miami is showing another renowned artist, Purvis Young.

Studios for artists with intellectual/developmental/physical challenges like North Pole in Portland, Oregon, Shelter in New York City, and Sage in Austin are just a few of the progressive art studios represented with major finds to be discovered. Check out the pipe cleaner Last Supper or tiny reproductions of famous artists ($75.00 ea) by Montrel Beverly, who will be in person at the Sage stall on Saturday. Fountain House stall artist Max Reith has a few gorgeous paintings with a style and color pallette reminiscent of Van Gogh.

There is also a fair share of new and never-before-seen artists and galleries. Look for the woven purses made by incarcerated men from cigarette packaging before smoking was banned in prisons at the Cell Solace booth. Look closely at Bravin Lee artist Robert Forman’s works, which use thin thread glued to an oversized canvas to create wildly frenetic narrative compositions. DieFirma Gallery artist Bill Miller makes intricate collages from pre-1960 linoleum he scavenges from old demo sites.

Zurcher Gallery is showing the artwork of the Surrealist/Trumpeter Ted Jones. At Hana Petri, Chicago, you can see two self-taught artists: Marvin Tate's assemblage work made from piano parts and large colorful acrylic paintings by Maurice Sullins (1910-1995), who worked as an airplane waxer all his life and painted in the styles of fine art masters he admired.

There are some fun, quirky, and unusual galleries like Nexus Singularity and a duo of charming exhibitions at Harmon Projects, including typewriter guns by Ravi Zupa and pet portraits by Alison Friend. Friend will be in-person at the booth from 6 pm to 8 pm on Friday.

Give yourself a few hours to enjoy the unusual atmosphere and all of the objects at this one-of-a-kind art fair! There are 65+ art gallery booths, including fifteen galleries that are displaying for the first time at this year's event, the 33rd edition of the fair.

The Outsider Art Fair will run from February 27 to March 2 at the Metropolitan Pavilion. Tickets are available online.