A sparkling Museum of Self-taught art in Baltimore
American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM)
Art Gallery or Museum | Museum featuring self-taught art | Open to the public
When you see one of Vollis Simpson's whirligigs adorning the front lawn of a museum, you know it's no ordinary place. This is indeed the mecca for those who appreciate work by self-taught, outsider or visionary artists. AVAM features three full floors of art displayed in long-running shows that cover a specific theme like "aging" or "war and peace." Their permanent collection contains a number of works by Ted Gordon, Howard Finster, Gerald Hawkes and the Baltimore Glassman, Paul Darmafall. There's a great restaurant/bar upstairs and a well-stocked gift shop too, all sitting in this jewel of a building situated down the hill from where Francis Scott Key wrote the National Anthem.
Founder, Rebecca Hoffberger says, "People just love this place" and it's evident why. There's a sense of playfulness in the presentation, and an appreciation for the passion and commitment these works represent.
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On DVD - Rare Visions and Roadside Revelations, "Eastern Weaseling", KCPT, Kansas City Public Television, 2002.
"Contemporary American Folk Art - A Collector's Guide" Chuck and Jan Rosenak, Abbeville Press, 1996. "Raw Creation: Outsider Art and Beyond" by John Maizels, 1996.
"Fantasy Worlds" by Deidi Von Schaewen and John Maizels, Taschen, New York, 1999. "Raw Vision Outsider Art Sourcebook" Raw Vision, Ltd., 2002
"Rare Visions and Roadside Revelations Coast to Coast Travel-o-Pedia" by Randy Mason, et. al., Kansas City Star Books, 2009.
