This month the Outsiderwear Festival will take place at nine locations in Amsterdam. During the project, ”outside” artists, for example with a mental disability, are linked to an already established name in the field of fashion, streetwear or art. Together they have created a collection that comes together in exhibitions, among other things.
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An outsider artist, for example, has a mental or physical disability, a psychological vulnerability or a homeless background. More and more attention is being paid to their art, but the world of outside artists rarely comes together with the regular creative industry. Outsiderwear changes that by breaking through and connecting this dichotomy.
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Maxivine en Aadesokan
This is noticed by Maxivine, an artist who came all the way from Nigeria together with Aadesokan for the festival. “I think it’s important that artists like him get a stage, and for artists like me it’s also an opportunity to work with artists like him.” The result of this inclusive collaboration can be seen at Droog Amsterdam, one of the nine locations that can be visited during Outsidewear Festival.
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”Ayse works from her intuition and I think that’s very cool to see”
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At another location, at Outsider Art Galerie, the colorful and lively fairytale creations of Ayse Somuncu and Bas Kosters can be admired. They look back with great pride on the project, which took about two years to complete. The artists have learned a lot from each other, says Bas. “Ayse works from her intuition and I think that’s very cool to see.”
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Bas Kosters and Ayse Somuncu
Initiators Wieger Windhorst and Jan Hoek came up with the idea because they looked after their Bruin Parry for years, their neighbor “who does not want to be called someone with Down syndrome”. He is incredibly talented and makes beautiful art, according to Wieger. ”We grant that to everyone, to work with an outsider.” Fourteen duos of well-known designers and outsider artists were brought together for the festival.
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The Outsiderwear Festival can be visited at various locations from 10 to 24 July: Outsider Art Gallery, Museum van de Geest | Outsider Art, Galerie Fleur & Wouter Lil’Amsterdam, ABCND Store, Patta Store, Vriend van Bavink, @Droog Amsterdam, Zeedijk 60 and Outsiderland/Sexyland World.
