First published: Fall 2003
Political, aggressive, and fiercely expressive of social issues, the paintings of Jane-in-Vain Winkelman extend the parameters of contemporary Outsider Art. ‘People think the work is sweet,’ says the artist in her tiny Miami Beach, Florida apartment where she can sit on her bed and touch her refrigerator. ‘But if they actually look, it says something.’
She’s a missionary with a paintbrush railing against government corruption, corporate greed, Republicans like Newt Gingrich, and policies that further limit the poor, of which she counts herself a member. Beyond her images, she uses words to convey her grim sentiments. Her targets are clearly spelled out, as in Beast of Retribution (1995): ‘The ride for some especially the rich is free upon the broken backs of fools like you & me.’
This is an article extract; read the full article in Raw Vision #44
