User:Trev M/Raw Vision

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John Maizels founded Raw Vision magazine in London in 1989 as a way to intelligently present art that was overlooked and under-appreciated, that of visionary self-taught artists.

Until that time there was no international publication that presented an art that was virtually unknown, almost secret and clandestine; known only to a few scattered enthusiasts and variously termed Outsider Art, Art Brut, Visionary Art or Contemporary Folk Art.

Raw Vision was able to present a form of creation so strong and so spiritually charged that it could be the equal of any in contemporary art. The whole idea of Raw Vision was that it should present the work in the best possible light, with large illustrations and clear text, all in a high quality publication that could stand its own with any other in the contemporary art world.

The first few issues included texts in French and German as well as English, and essays introduced the work of Nek Chand, Howard Finster, Augustin Lesage, Friedrich Schröder-Sonnenstern, Oswald Tschirtner, Willem van Genk, European mediumistic art (such as that of Joseph Crépin, Madge Gill, Raphaël Lonné, Laure Pigeon, and Anna Zemánková), and visionary environments in Europe and the USA. Early contributors included luminaries such as Prof Roger Cardinal, Laurent Danchin, David MacLagan, Dr John MacGegor and Michel Thévoz.

One of the original ambitions of Raw Vision was not only to present the works of unknown and neglected creators of great quality and importance but also to unite the different international constituencies of enthusiasts and critics who were devoted to Outsider Art. Situated in Britain, it was ideally placed to act as a bridge between the American and European followers of Outsider Art and Art Brut. It reflected the best international perspectives of a world interest.

Its role as a vehicle for international co-operation has continued to grow and develop and it was instrumental in the Europe-wide "Equal Rights for Creativity" programme in 2003-2004, where it worked closely with the government agencies of Finland and was financed by the European Union. Raw Vision has now been involved in events, exhibitions and conferences in major museums and institutions in many countries across Europe, in the United States and in India and in the future, Japan.

Initially published biannually and subsequently as a quarterly, Raw Vision continues to contribute a vital and necessary dialogue to the international field, with all of its overlaps and subsets and quandaries of definition and criteria. Its regular news pages report events and activities from every continent and the magazine is directly in touch with organisations, institutions, galleries, museums, freelance writers, curators, critics, photographers and artists from every corner of the world.

Raw Vision has now presented articles on a wide variety of artists, some of whom have since gained renown and others who remain obscure. With 60 issues now published (by June 2007), the magazine is still evolving in tone and direction. There is still a mass of material from around the world and compulsive intuitive expression is a natural human occurrence which can never end.

However, the complexion and intensity of Outsider Art has changed subtly over the years. Many of the early issues were based on the works of the great collections of the 20th century - of Dubuffet and Prinzhorn especially - and it is very hard to see how the original quality of those great masters, such as Adolf Wölfli or Aloise Corbaz, Johann Hauser or Carlo Zinelli can be repeated. The big question is how much are we looking at an historical phenomenon and how much can we still expect to see such things in the future. Outsider Art has a different complexion today, it is rarely as isolated and as inward but it is still vibrant, irrepressible and a manifestation of extreme individuality. The magazine has developed too and now has a broader remit and more of a world view.

Raw Vision magazine was recently declared the winner of the category Best Arts Coverage for 2006 in the annual USA Utne Independent Press Awards. Utne describes itself as "a leading voice for independent thinkers, engaging with the most visionary thinkers and doers of our time". In gaining this award, Raw Vision was described as being "outstanding and essential" in its field, with "innovative, thought-provoking perspectives often ignored in mass media", and offering a unique opportunity to artists who would not normally be subject to worldwide exposure.

Raw Vision was saluted for its ability to provide international Outsider and related arts coverage with a vibrant, colourful presentation of articles, described by Utne as "a visual feast akin to Christmas pudding". "There isn't any other publication that comes close in terms of timely information about the field" says Tom di Maria, director of the Creative Growth Art Center, California.

In September 1998 Raw Vision also received the coveted "CAMERA" UNESCO prize for the World's Best Art Magazine, the first time such an award had ever been given to either a British or American magazine. The award acknowledged the "quality and originality of its editorial projects, the intelligence and elegance of its product, the degree of innovation and relevance to society, and the respect shown for its target audience."

The Editor of Raw Vision, John Maizels is also the author of Raw Creation, Outsider Art and Beyond (1996), co-author of Fantasy Worlds (1999) and editor of the Outsider Art Sourcebook (2002). In 2007 he was awarded the Medaille de la Ville de Paris for his work with Raw Vision.