Daniel X O' Neil, Chicago - MEET THE COLLECTOR Series Part Eighteen

I was contacted by Daniel X O’ Neil with regards to his new book on Arte Agora. I then began to hear more about his collection of work in Chicago and how he used to meet the artists in studios there and others working on the streets. Read on to find out more in part eighteen of my Meet The Collector series…

Daniel X O’ Neil portrait

1. When did your interest in the field of outsider/folk art begin?
I was always taken to museums and taught to appreciate art as a child. My interest in outsider art began in the early 1990s with the founding of Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art, which was near my house, and seeing artists like Wesley Willis, Lee Godie, Mr. Imagination, and others working on the streets of Chicago.

2. When did you become a collector of this art?  How many pieces do you think are in your collection now?
I am a documenter and archivist by nature. When I encountered artists selling outside, my instinct was to buy from them and keep the work safe inside. David Leonardis Gallery, in the early 90s. was essential in my formation as an actual collector. I have about 200 pieces of strictly defined Outsider Art, and that number grows to about 1,600 if you count all the pasteup. caricature, gig posters, slaps, and other ephemera that I define as part of the discipline of  Arte Agora.

Sandstone pencil holder, Mr. Imagination, 1992. The artist made this for me on the occasion of the publication of my first book, BRICKS: A New Book of Poetry

3. Can you tell us a bit about your background?
I have a degree in English and Anthropology, and I’ve worked in technology most of my career. In the 1990s I was a performance poet and I did shows all across the country with self-taught artists / musicians Dylan Morgan and Bob Christy. Recently I published a book, Arte Agora: Art made, sold, or placed in the public way, that codifies what I see as a distinct subgenre of contemporary art at the intersection of three separate disciplines— outsider art, commercial art, and street art.

4. What is it that draws your eye away from contemporary art to outsider/folk art? Or do you collect both?
I’ve always loved the respect and dignity in art commerce, buying directly from the artist, outside, with little fanfare. I collect both contemporary and outsider art, with a focus on art that is obtained literally outside — in the marketplace.

5. What style of work, if any, is of particular interest to you within this field? (for example is it embroidery, drawing, sculpture, and so on)
I am mostly interested in works on paper. I think I probably do that as a practical matter, making storage easier, but it also speaks to the aesthetic that I like — make-ready, ephemeral pieces that are easy to transport and offer for sale.

Three figures with masks, Peace Prophet, 2016-2019. Peace Prophet works in and around Millenium Park in Chicago. She also goes by the name “Queen Janice Carol Rivers” More here.

6. Would you say you had a favourite artist or piece of work within your collection? And why?
My interests change through time, but currently I am loving the work of Lujana Lampkins, an artist in Chicago who embodies all the best qualities of Arte Agora — she is engaged in commerce, in the marketplace, daily. She is technically excellent — smooth, perfect lines — and is razor-sharp in expounding on her themes of pop culture and street life.

7. Is there an exhibition in this field of art that you have felt has been particularly important? And why?
A recent exhibition at Intuit, Chicago Calling: Art Against the Flow, was very moving to me. Seeing so many artists that I personally know and collect, being placed in the context of the larger international Outsider Art movement, made me feel like we’re really getting somewhere — that the world is catching up to their genius.

8. Where would you say you buy most of your work from: a studio, art fairs, exhibitions, auctions, or direct from artists? And do you exhibit any of it on the walls of your home or office?
Most of the art I purchase is directly from artists, on the street. Having said that, there are three to four galleries I purchase from no matter what— if they represent an artist I love. Being a gallerist is a tough job, and supporting the ecosystem is super-important to my wife, Shawn-Laree, and me.

9. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Here’s a bit more of our collection.

Prince Purple Rain, Lajuana Lampkins, 2018