The latest art installation at Miami International (MIA) features works by artists from the National Art Exhibitions of the Mentally Ill, a Miami-based organization dedicated to discovering, studying, promoting, exhibiting and preserving the art of those struggling with mental illness throughout the world.
“We are proud to partner with NAEMI to showcase this unique artwork and heighten awareness about those suffering with mental illness,” says Yolanda Sanchez, MIA’s Fine Arts & Cultural Affairs Division Director. “Outsider artists typically make art because they have no choice; it is how they sustain themselves, the only way they can live. The work is important as it validates the human drive for creativity, regardless of intelligence, psychological or developmental condition, and attests to the ability to transcend limitations and to heal.”
“Outsider Art: Selections from the NAEMI Art Collection” pieces are produced by individuals who are usually self-taught and reflect a unique and innate personal expression of the world around us, according to a media release.
“Despite the fact that the artist works outside art world trends and conventions, Outsider Art is now an important component of contemporary art, with several large collections around the world and museums specifically dedicated to this genre,” the release notes.
