More Than a Majority – A Collective Vision
Buckle up for a heavy-hitting bonus episode! In episode six of Art Crush, hosts Fi Marks and Paula Telizyn dive deep into the uncomfortable truths of the art world. They tackle the deeply ingrained colonial, misogynistic, and patriarchal rules that have historically dictated what is—and isn’t—considered “fine art.”
Triggered by Fi’s discovery that her textile-inspired paintings of women were being labeled as outsider art, this conversation rips the band-aid off the traditional art establishment. From the historical restrictions placed on female painters to the devaluation of functional crafts and the exploitation of Indigenous artists, Paula and Fi challenge listeners to critically examine why we classify art the way we do—and who those classifications actually serve.
What You’ll Explore in This Episode:
The Artist’s Responsibility: Why artists must stop waiting for audience approval, show up to their own gallery openings, and actively educate buyers to challenge their visual comfort zones.
The “Outsider” Label: Why calling non-traditional, non-Western, or self-taught art “outsider art” is a derogatory hangover from Victorian-era, white male standards.
The Hierarchy of Mediums: How the establishment arbitrarily elevates large oil paintings on canvas over acrylics, paper works, and historically “feminine” mediums like textiles and quilting.
Art vs. Craft: The double standard faced by creators of functional art (like iconic potter Clarice Cliff) and why Paula officially rejects the term “artisan market.”
The Gaze and the Subject: A look at how women are traditionally portrayed as objects to be admired under the male gaze, versus Fi’s approach of painting women simply existing in their own power.
Deconstructing the Rules
| Traditional Art World Norms | The Art Crush Perspective |
| Medium Hierarchy: Huge oil paintings on canvas reign supreme. | Equal Validity: Medium does not dictate value; textiles, paper, and acrylics are equally vital. |
| Categorization: Functional pieces (pottery, quilts) are merely “craft.” | Living Art: Purpose-built, everyday items have deep artistic merit and tell profound stories. |
| Colonial Framing: Non-Western or non-traditional art is “primitive” or “outsider.” | Decolonization: These labels uphold colonial hierarchies, exploit creators, and must be retired. |
| Audience Comfort: Art should easily match the neutral, safe decor of a modern home. | Bold Individuality: Homes (and the art within them) should be fiercely individual, challenging, and truly lived-in. |
“You need to fit into yourself. Not what anybody else is saying or deeming. Because it’s exactly the same as what we started off saying about the art world: ‘This is the only real art. This is the way you need to look.'” — Fi Marks
The Big Question for the Audience
If we reject the hierarchical, colonial structures of the traditional art world, how do we describe work that falls outside the mainstream without using limiting labels like “outsider art”? Paula and Fi leave the audience with a challenge: If your art isn’t considered “fine art” by the establishment, what label would you proudly give it?
Read more here https://artcrush.co.uk/deconstructing-the-art-world-patriarchy-craft-and-outsider-art-art-crush/