How did Henry Darger, a janitor who lived as an outcast and died anonymously in 1973, become an internationally acclaimed figure of outsider art? His incredible story sheds light on multiple issues including how we define and identify artists, the complex relationship between mental health and creativity, as well as the question of elitism in the world of art. OUTSIDER is a seven-part podcast series in which musician Philippe Cohen Solal addresses these issues and explores Henry Darger’s life in conversation with scholars, artists and art curators. With narrator Geoffrey CareyThis podcast...
Darger’s legacy: Mark Stokes
Mark Stokes is a filmmaker based in London whose documentary on Henry Darger, Revolutions of the Night, was instrumental in explaining who Henry Darger really was to a wider audience. In the final episode of this series, Philippe Cohen Solal discusses the making of...
Published 06/08/21
Darger’s legacy: Grayson Perry
Although Darger’s artwork and written works remained out of the spotlight for decades, they still influenced many contemporary artists. Among them, widely acclaimed artist and Turner Prize winner Grayson Perry stumbled upon Darger’s work in the seventies while still...
Published 05/20/21
All of the song lyrics featured on the OUTSIDER album were written by Henry Darger himself. The late artist was both a lyricist and great music lover. In this episode, Philippe Cohen Solal dissects Henry Darger’s taste in music, and is joined by Mike Lindsay to discuss the creation of the...
Published 05/11/21