Childhood as a Source of Creative Creation for Art Brut Authors

Abstract

Childhood is a crucial period for the development of subjectivity and a sense of identity, unfolding in relation to both individuation and relationships with others. The aim of this article is to present the work of art brut authors – Judith Scott and Hawkins Bolden – in the context of childhood shaped by the experience of disability, accompanied by isolation and limited opportunities to fulfill developmental tasks. The study was based on a qualitative case study, employing the analysis of documents: the films Judith Scott at The Museum of Everything and Make. Outsider Art. Documentary. The interpretation of the artists’ works was grounded in Stanisław Popek’s model of the layered structure of an artistic product. The analysis sought to answer two research questions: How is the artist’s creativity constructed by the experience of childhood? How is the creative process connected with formulating responses to the fundamental questions: “What can I do?”, “Who am I?”. Three common features were identified in the work of both artists: the repetitiveness and rituality of the creative act, the use of unusual materials, and the exploratory character of the creative process. In light of the analysis, the artists’ work emerges as an act of reconstructing identity and regaining control over one’s life. These analyses provide a starting point for reflection on the nature of disability and, above all, on the value of pedagogical practice based on balancing the recognition of children’s shared developmental needs with respect for their uniqueness and striving for agency, even in the context of disability.