Purvis Young on View in Florida

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

For those aficionados on an art historical treasure hunt for the work of Florida Outsider/Neo Folk artist Purvis Young (1943 – 2010), I am more than happy to offer a few clues as to where to look.

The Orlando Museum of Art has whipped up a show titled Purvis Young: The Life I See and it is on view until October 30, 2022. This small exhibit is in the gallery space that previously featured a collection of doubtful “Basquiat” drawings that were recently acquired by the FBI. That, of course, is a discussion for another blog post!

I admit that I was disappointed with this show, despite the inclusion of a pair of exceptional pieces by the artist. However, the jewel of this small exhibit is a wall of framed sketches that offer a glimpse into the artist’s creative process.

Purvis Young sketches at the OMA.

The Mennello Museum of American Art, located across the street from the OMA, has their Outsider exhibition (An Irresistible Urge to Create) on view until October 16, 2022. This show is an excellent compliment to the Purvis Young offerings at the OMA as it is a thoughtful survey of the Outsider art movement in the state of Florida. You may remember that I shared a blog post dedicated to this exhibit a few weeks ago. It also includes three pieces by Purvis Young.

Purvis Young at the Mennello.

The Tampa Museum of Art is featuring a long term exhibit titled Purvis Young: Redux that showcases 91 (whoa!) works by the artist. It will be on view through June 30, 2024, so you have plenty of time to get out to the Gulf Coast to see it.

For all those tourists who plan on spending most of their time in the Sunshine State on Disney property, add a little bit of art tourism to your itinerary and swing by the House of Blues at Disney Springs. Known for covering their interior walls with Outsider artwork, the House of Blues chain of restaurants/concert venues have repeatedly surprised me over the years. Indeed, I discovered an amazing Purvis Young piece at the HOB Orlando on a recent visit.

Purvis Young at the HOB Orlando (second floor, by the women’s restroom).

Happy hunting art adventurers!

For more information about the exhibit at the Orlando Museum of Art, please visit…

https://omart.org/exhibitions/purvis_young_the_life_i_see/

For more information on the exhibit at the Mennello, please visit…

An Irresistible Urge to Create

For more information on the exhibition at the Tampa Museum of Art, please visit…

Purvis Young: Redux

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I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.