Outsider art is a concept that was proposed by art critic Roger Cardinal in 1972. In other words, it is a technical term that refers to art created by artists who have not received formal art education.

　In this article, I would like to introduce some of the artists that ACM Gallery handles in the field of outsider art, which has an unconventional and free style.

Takayuki Fujihashi

Born in 1963, Takayuki Fujihashi expanded his world at the age of 20 when he met his friends at Shinmeijuku and learned the joy of painting. In his twenties and thirties, he worked as a dyer and cleaner, gaining recognition for his diligent and steady work. Later, she joined Studio Sora for a while, where she demonstrated her sense of form through her work in Saori weaving and ceramic painting. She is now living alone, aiming to become independent.

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Kaguratani

Born in 1971. Lives and works in Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture. Always keeping an eye out for things that interest her, she has a strong desire to give form to what she is interested in, and creates works in oil painting, watercolor, design, and objects as her interests take her. He is working on several works at the same time, and there are many works in progress in his studio.

For more information about the artist, click here.

XL

Born in 1967, he has been a member of the NPO Swing since 2006. After graduating from junior high school, he got a job as a plasterer, but was bullied so much that he resigned immediately. He has been involved in a variety of activities, including the artistic creation "Oretachi Hyogen-zoku," and the Kyoto human-powered transportation guide "Anata no Doko, Teishimasu. He is currently leading Swing's "work" in a variety of fields.

For more information about the artist, click here.

Ryosuke Terai

Born in 1985. His passion for baseball draws animals and other things around him into the world of baseball one after another. Even things that seem unrelated at first glance actually take off from baseball when traced back to their origin.

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Hironobu Matsumoto

Born in 1991, Matsumoto began drawing when he was two or three years old, and was diagnosed with high-functioning autism at the age of three. Many of his works reflect his interests at the time, and he draws them by transforming them into images that he thinks up. He chooses colors without hesitation from among 300 colored pencils and about 100 water-based pens. He never uses rulers, erasers, or correction fluid, and his works are precise, delicate, and rich in color.

For more information about the artist, click here.

Japan's first outsider art is showing signs of recognition around the world. His works may seem strange, but their interiority may give them borderless power.