Collection de l'Art Brut | Lausanne

The Collection de l'Art Brut, located in Lausanne, Switzerland, is a unique museum dedicated to "outsider art" (also known as "art brut"), which encompasses works created by individuals outside mainstream art circles. The term art brut was coined by the French artist Jean Dubuffet in the 1940s to describe art created by those without formal artistic training—such as psychiatric patients, prisoners, and self-taught visionaries—who create art for personal reasons, independent of conventional artistic influences.

Origins and History

Jean Dubuffet began collecting works of art brut in the 1940s. He was fascinated by art that expressed raw, unfiltered emotions and explored deeply personal themes without the intent to cater to an audience or follow established art trends. In 1971, Dubuffet donated his entire art brut collection to the city of Lausanne, leading to the establishment of the Collection de l'Art Brut in 1976. It was housed in the 18th-century Château de Beaulieu, a fitting setting for this diverse and unconventional body of work.

Collection and Artists

The museum's collection features thousands of pieces, including drawings, paintings, sculptures, and mixed-media works. Notable artists represented in the collection include:

• Aloïse Corbaz: Known for her vibrant, often romantic and intricate drawings, Corbaz created art while institutionalized for schizophrenia, depicting colorful scenes of love and fantasy.
• Adolf Wölfli: One of the most famous outsider artists, Wölfli produced intricate illustrations filled with complex patterns, musical notations, and autobiographical text during his confinement in a Swiss psychiatric institution.
• Henry Darger: An American hospital janitor who, in isolation, created an epic illustrated novel spanning thousands of pages, depicting a surreal battle between children and supernatural beings.

Exhibitions and Approach

The Collection de l'Art Brut organizes permanent and rotating exhibitions. Its permanent exhibition highlights the key works from Dubuffet’s initial collection, while temporary exhibitions often focus on individual artists or specific themes, allowing visitors to gain deeper insight into the lives and works of outsider artists.

Cultural Impact and Significance

The Collection de l'Art Brut is a pioneer in recognizing outsider art's value, inspiring other institutions to appreciate and preserve works by artists who might otherwise have been overlooked. It stands as a testament to the power of creativity as a form of self-expression and resilience, offering an authentic glimpse into the minds of those who create art outside societal conventions.

The museum's focus on authenticity and the individual's internal world attracts a wide range of visitors, from art enthusiasts and scholars to those interested in psychology and the human spirit.