Outsider Art

In reading these readings i was very intrigued by the first two articles. I love the whole idea of autistic, special needs kids creating masterpieces at unusually young ages. Something about it is just really intriguing to me, maybe because it is inhuman and so unnatural. While reading i was immediately hooked and googled these artists to see their artworks and learn more about them. Amazed is probably the best description for me.

Now the part that i can't stand is the whole defining of it. It can't be on the same playing field as all other famous artists. Because it was created by a technically retarded child it is not in the same category. This is unfair. I mean maybe it is, when you think about it, this is the most pure form of art because it is not being made out of necessity or outside pressures. But rather it is being created for fun and just because. People taking this art and exploiting it is wrong. Yes they are getting tons of money from it but this money is for "the artist" yet the artist can't even carry on a conversation due to his/her dissability and so cannot handle money. This money in turn ends op in the gaurdians hands. Now this to me sounds like exploitation and these kids parents are using their gifted child into a money making machine. This is horrible. Just becasue these kids are extremely talented, they are considered "freaks of nature" and are put on show like circus animals. They just need to be left alone. But i digress...

The whole idea of what art is. I don't understand why art has to be art. People like Duchamp that take urinals and call it art is just plain stupid. where is the line drawn. To me i feel like art is art in the culture because it is made by someone known, or rich and able to get their name out. That is it. One person could create an amazing piece of art and while being a nobody and noone will ever notice him and make his art public. At the same time a famous artist or someone just rich could paint the EXACT same piece and make thousands of dollars off it just because he has the networking needed. These two pieces are put into two different categories because of cultural standings. I hate the defining of art, it is stupid....