Tochigi Prefectural Museum of Fine Arts
Closes Sept. 20
The main focus of "Innocence — Art Towards Life,' is the work of people in Tochigi Prefecture who have mental difficulties or intellectual disabilities. Such untutored artists, often referred to as "outsider" artists, are considered to enjoy a more direct approach to self-expression than those who have been trained, even if their work may be rough and unskilled in comparison. They also possess a compelling vibrancy of vision and purity of expression. Hence the use of "innocence" in the title of this exhibition, a word that organizers say they chose even while being aware of the contentiousness of its premise.