Jean Dubuffet

Few painters have influence art from the half of the twentieth century to the extend of Jean Dubuffet. In over 200 illustrations , mostly in colour, this volume documents in detail the key works of this rebellious artist, whose pictorial potential is exemplary in its trailblazing inventiveness. Even though Dubuffet rejected the standard definition of art, his work continued to be dominated by culture.In the output of amateurs and the mentally ill, he found the immediate expression of the orginality of simple life that he sought for. In the "spirit of contradiction", Dubuffet trivialized classic subjects, devoting himself to graffiti-like line-drawings of ordinary urban life, breaching artistic conventions with great zest and relish. This involved an increasing use of "non-artistic" materials, which ultimately also enabled him to give three-dimensional form to imaginary shapes only vaguely reminiscent of reality. Beginning with the key "L'hourloupe"cycle, he moved away from the canvas and - througt monumental sculptures, architecture and costumes - ended up with performance.