What is Naïve Art

8/3/2019 What is Nave Art

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What is Nave Art s appeal?

While philosophers and critics debate the meaning, purpose and aesthetics of art, naveart, a genre whose time has come, persists in capturing audiences attention. Why isthat?

Well, for one thing, successful art engages the viewer, connects with the eye, the brainand the heart. Shea Hembrey , artist and curator, frames this a bit differently , in arecent TED TALK, How I became 100 artists . For him art must have a worthy conceptbehind it (Head), reflect high standards of craftsmanship (Hands) and convey anemotional impact (Heart). He also uses his Mimaw test which goes like this. If hecannot explain a piece of artwork to his grandmother in five minutes or less then it iseither overly obscure, obtuse or not worth the effort. A visit to GINA Gallery(www.ginagallery.com ) will convince you that nave art is worthy of your attention by

any of these standards/criteria. Let s see why.International nave artists score high on craftsmanship. Largely self-taught, theircanvases are typically a riot of color and detail. Each leaf, flower, reflection ormoonbeam, contrasting texture or atmospheric humidity are rendered with expertiseand exacting precision. Don t take our word for it, though. Sample the variety of offerings from 32 different countries displayed at GINA Gallery.com. The level of craftsmanship and artistry, self taught though these artists may be, won t disappoint.

Edivaldo Barbara de Souza Louis Marius Amorim Ferreira de MoraesMan Laundering Clothes- Brazil The Beautiful Harvest Brazil


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Color, composition and detail make a decorative and pleasing painting but what aboutthe Head , the concept?

What is it about this genre that connectsnot only with the eye but with the intellect?Eduardo Ungar, from Argentina is a naveartist who makes us think. Morning is agood example. What do we see here? Layerupon layer of human interaction withpeople, architecture, time and space thatforce us to engage and to wonder.

In this scene we have two different interiorsand four different spaces. The hall of thebuilding and a children s clothing shop thatwe can peek into from the street. Outsidethe shop on the street is a mother and childin a carriage that has attracted theattention of an older man. The man onthe ladder cleans the mirror high in the rose window in which we see reflected a youngwoman seeming to hurry along with a bag over her shoulder. Simultaneously ahousewife enters the building traversing the black and white tiled floor. Outside at thecurb waits our pensive motor cyclist, hand on chin and helmet. A moment in timeencompassing four different spaces has been compressed onto a canvas 88 cm by 66cm. Why does this work ? For one thing Ungar piques our curiosity about what isgoing on. This slice of life narrative asks: Who is the cyclist waiting for and where is heheaded? Could the image of the girl in the glass be the object of his affection? Does hisgesture signify impatience or dreamy reverie? What awaits the Signora at the end of the lobby? A mundane scene or an intimate screen shot with a story behind everycharacter?

Urban street scenes of Argentina are replaced by the countryside where a middle classcouple of a bygone era sits in a bucolic setting to enjoy a picnic. Reminding ussomewhat of Manet s Dejeuner sur l Herb, this scene by itself is incomplete for Jean Pierre Lorand of Belgium who makes us pay more close attention by including awatchful bear standing on hind legs looking a bit like the Smokey the Bear icon of Forrest Ranger fame, and the graceful white tailed fox on the right. Do the pair of


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pigeons on the branch echo the togetherness of the couple on the grass preparing toenjoy their light repast? And what of the title, A Feast for the Eyes ? Exactly who arefeasting or becoming the feast in this story? Here whimsy and humor capture theaudience with a language that is both precise yet also symbolic. We are invited tospeculate about what will happen next in this story.


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Home-Made Sweets by Ana Maria Diaz , on the other hand paints an idealized andcharming picture of her childhood village in Brazil and an elderly lady distributinggoodies to the village children. Joop Plasmeyer of the Netherlands transfixes us withhis rich palette of blues and arresting red boat in his painting of Delft Harbor,

Rotterdam. But these paintings, while decorative make unexpected connections withthe audience. Here the depth of dialogue with the audience is the result of eachpainting s accessibility and the chord that it strikes deep within us. Perhaps we havevisited a similar place or share a comparable memory. In these examples, it is theviewer who contributes his experiences to the emotional mix, and in the processbecomes partners with the nave artist who in recreating his or her world makes a spacewithin it for the audience.

These nostalgic images of festive family meals, hearthside gatherings, work, circuses,harvests, kite flying or school yard playgrounds are the grist of the nave artist.Sometimes rendered with more or less intellectual appeal these canvases always comewith an invitation to the audience to partake of the offering. Without fail their brightcolors, child like composition, limited perspective and emotional punch woo us with


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their whimsy, humor, beauty, cultural diversity and deft technique that succeeds inrecreating the lacy fabric of curtains framing a window, golden sheaves of wheat dryingin the fields, falling water or the antics and grace of beloved pet cats that can make adwelling a home.

Come and discover what appeals to you in the world of nave art and why? GINA Galleryinvites you to visit at GINA Gallery.com and Facebook.com/GINAGallery. We areconfident that these joyful works will find a place in your heart and are happy to assistyou in finding them a place in your home.

Anya Santala, Finland Be Good Yanelys Saavedra, Cuba From My Balcony

GINA GalleryTel Aviv, Israel

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What is Naïve Art