Thursday 04 December 2025 – 12:30 PM
Maison Rousseau Literature
Grand-Rue 40, 1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Jean-Michel Wissmer probes the tenuous border between madness and mental health, also mentioning suffering artists such as Van Gogh, Munch, or Goya.
His book revisits the definition of an art whose approach is constantly evolving, notably through art‑therapy workshops. It addresses for the first time the role of religion that structures and illuminates the work of so many outsider artists. His book highlights three major representatives: Aloïse, Henry Darger, and Facteur Cheval, who illustrate the full diversity and complexity of this art.
Switzerland is the host country of Art Brut, thanks to the French painter Jean Dubuffet, who bequeathed his collection to Lausanne.
Speakers:
Jean‑Michel Wissmer and Vincent Barras – introductory remarks: Sophie Chabalier (head of mediation for the Art Brut Collection)
