The most insane artists are typically the most fascinating. Proof: one of the most famous artists of the 19th century, Vincent Van Gogh, cut off his own ear. Perhaps people are merely fascinated by the erratic behavior of outsider artists. Or perhaps outsider art allows for voyeurism among the general public – a glimpse into an unhealthy or deranged mind, a freedom from the rigors of everyday existence. And as much as we wouldn’t like to admit it, every one of us is at least a little bit insane, and outsider art appeals to us because it touches upon and acknowledges this insanity.
The Story of Royal Robertson
Royal Robertson was a relatively unknown outsider artist from St. Helena’s Parish, Louisiana.
These pictures show how this town is very rural and kind of derelict/abandoned and left behind. This is a terrific visual metaphor for Royal and his life. Additionally, these images give a great sense of place and setting for the story. Royal was also a paranoid schizophrenic. At the age of fourteen, he had his first vision. He saw a futuristic UFO, with what he described as God as the pilot. The Biblical and science-fictional aspects of this first vision would have quite an impact on themes in his later artwork.
Royal Robertson was a relatively unknown outsider artist from St. Helena’s Parish, Louisiana.
These pictures show how this town is very rural and kind of derelict/abandoned and left behind. This is a terrific visual metaphor for Royal and his life. Additionally, these images give a great sense of place and setting for the story. Royal was also a paranoid schizophrenic. At the age of fourteen, he had his first vision. He saw a futuristic UFO, with what he described as God as the pilot. The Biblical and science-fictional aspects of this first vision would have quite an impact on themes in his later artwork.
As a young man, Royal got a few jobs as a sign painter, exercising his artistic predilections, before he returned home to care for his mother.
In 1955, Royal married Adell Brent, who would be his wife for 19 years and the mother of his eleven children. The marriage ended when Adell left Royal for another man, and took the children with her. Following this betrayal by Adell, Royal’s artistic focus changed dramatically. No longer content with being a sign painter, Royal began recording the complex visions he had through his artwork. Many of his pieces are done in a cartoonish, comic book style, complete with word balloons and vivid colors done with markers.
In 1955, Royal married Adell Brent, who would be his wife for 19 years and the mother of his eleven children. The marriage ended when Adell left Royal for another man, and took the children with her. Following this betrayal by Adell, Royal’s artistic focus changed dramatically. No longer content with being a sign painter, Royal began recording the complex visions he had through his artwork. Many of his pieces are done in a cartoonish, comic book style, complete with word balloons and vivid colors done with markers.
This piece depicts Royal’s madness with the rambling, disjointed texts that border the piece – “Fornicators & Adulterers Killed Everybodys”, “Towns In Sleeps Cities Went Sinkin.” This latter statement seems to be a call to arms for people to wake up and avoid the apocalypse. This is in service of Royal’s claims (discussed below) that he is a prophet.
Many of Royal’s visions (and subsequent artwork) regard alien visitors who warn of the infidelities of women (and Adell in particular) and the oncoming Apocalypse. His artwork is often fragmented and includes rambling, ranting accompanying texts. Both of these trademarks can be attributed to Royal’s madness, and they separate Royal’s work from any other artist’s. Calendars also feature prominently in Royal’s body of work, as he was obsessed with numerology and determining the exact moment of the Apocalypse.
Royal considered himself a Prophet, and frequently labeled himself as such when he signed artwork. He legitimately considered his visions to be prophecies that needed to be avoided, making his work all the more appealing and disturbing. He lived as a recluse in Louisiana until his death in 1997. The people of his town all thought him insane, and he was quite aware of their perceptions of him.
Royal considered himself a Prophet, and frequently labeled himself as such when he signed artwork. He legitimately considered his visions to be prophecies that needed to be avoided, making his work all the more appealing and disturbing. He lived as a recluse in Louisiana until his death in 1997. The people of his town all thought him insane, and he was quite aware of their perceptions of him.
This piece seems to be a self-portrait by Royal. It shows that he is not oblivious to people’s opinions of him. On the left margin, Royal list abuses people have done to him – including having bottles and rocks thrown at him and being shot at. He gives no reason as to why these things have occurred to him, so perhaps they are merely imaginary events resulting from his schizophrenia. He does say that the town folks call him a “crazy painter”, which seems likely enough. Understanding Royal’s frame of mind and his interpretations of real-world events will be essential to having the audience empathize with him.
Royal’s awareness of people’s thoughts about him did not keep him from adorning his lawn with hundreds of signs warning against the intrusion of whores and dope men and adulterous wives named Adell .These signs, and the exterior of the house in general, demonstrate the image of himself that Royal projects to the outside world. It seems that Royal’s house is his haven and sanctuary from the outside world, which, in his mind, is so eager to harm him. None of these signs are welcoming, and they transmit a visual equivalent to how Royal secludes himself from society.
Inside the house, Royal kept a series of shrines dedicated to his wife. Whether these are laudatory or defamatory is unclear, but regardless, they are indicative that he could not escape his intense feelings for her. This aspect of Royal’s life makes him a wonderfully conflicted character. On one hand, the divorce from his wife had driven him into the farthest depths of insanity. On the other hand, he still deeply loved her, and she was probably the only person who could save him from himself. The artwork and lifestyle he had chosen and lived was fundamentally counterproductive to this end.
A Short Film
During my research, I have found startlingly little information about how Adell and her 11 children responded to this sort of exposure. This research has left me with many questions: How did Adell and her kids feel about Royal? Did they communicate with him? Did they try to make amends? Did Royal stay in contact with his kids? What caused Adell to leave Royal? Were there intense signs of Royal’s madness evident during their 19-year marriage? The only information I could find is that at the time of his death, Royal was in the process of reconciling with two of his children. This seems to confirm the fact that there were continued hostilities during the majority of his life, and that the children were well aware of their father and his lifestyle.
My proposal for this short documentary feature is half biography, half investigation. I want to show Royal’s life and lifestyle alongside his artwork and madness, because by their very nature they are fascinating, interesting, and incredibly bizarre. The other half of the documentary will focus on Royal’s children (his wife Adell died shortly after him) and their reactions and relationship to their eccentric father. This would include a trip to Royal’s home (which, though I doubt this is the actual case, in my ideal documentary world would exist as a museum dedicated to his artwork), including examinations of much of his artwork and how they relate to his visions and illness.
Inside the house, Royal kept a series of shrines dedicated to his wife. Whether these are laudatory or defamatory is unclear, but regardless, they are indicative that he could not escape his intense feelings for her. This aspect of Royal’s life makes him a wonderfully conflicted character. On one hand, the divorce from his wife had driven him into the farthest depths of insanity. On the other hand, he still deeply loved her, and she was probably the only person who could save him from himself. The artwork and lifestyle he had chosen and lived was fundamentally counterproductive to this end.
A Short Film
During my research, I have found startlingly little information about how Adell and her 11 children responded to this sort of exposure. This research has left me with many questions: How did Adell and her kids feel about Royal? Did they communicate with him? Did they try to make amends? Did Royal stay in contact with his kids? What caused Adell to leave Royal? Were there intense signs of Royal’s madness evident during their 19-year marriage? The only information I could find is that at the time of his death, Royal was in the process of reconciling with two of his children. This seems to confirm the fact that there were continued hostilities during the majority of his life, and that the children were well aware of their father and his lifestyle.
My proposal for this short documentary feature is half biography, half investigation. I want to show Royal’s life and lifestyle alongside his artwork and madness, because by their very nature they are fascinating, interesting, and incredibly bizarre. The other half of the documentary will focus on Royal’s children (his wife Adell died shortly after him) and their reactions and relationship to their eccentric father. This would include a trip to Royal’s home (which, though I doubt this is the actual case, in my ideal documentary world would exist as a museum dedicated to his artwork), including examinations of much of his artwork and how they relate to his visions and illness.
Royal’s work has garnered recent critical attention, and his artwork has been shown at exhibitions in renowned museums, including the Smithsonian. For the purposes of my documentary, I think it makes more sense to have Royal’s home act as the site that his children travel to in order to come to terms with their father’s life. It is more personal and cinematically more dramatic.
Structure
First Act
The documentary would open as Royal, in the process of trying to reconcile with two if his children, dies. It will then be revealed just what he was trying to reconcile for – his insanity and the things he thought about their mother. With the audience hooked by this point, I will retrace and go back to Royal’s childhood. The first act will end with the first of Royal’s visions, and the implications this will have on his later life.
Second Act
The second act will begin with Royal’s marriage to Adell, and will then proceed to discuss his children’s memories of Royal before the divorce. The documentary will next focus on when Adell leaves Royal for another man and takes the children with her. The children will reflect on their move to Texas and on Adell’s new husband. Just as royal’s life shifted to focus on his visions and artwork at this point, so too will the documentary. Psychologists and other analysts will attempt to decipher Royal’s work from this period. Additionally, I think it would be helpful to present a typical “day in the life” of Royal, in order to portray his daily musings and habits, and to show how he lived. This will also hopefully present a more sympathetic view of Royal, allowing the audience to empathize with him.
Third Act
In the final act, Royal’s children will go to his house to look at his artwork and the remnants of his life. My hope is that following this, they will be able to reconcile with their father’s work and lifestyle. After this will follow a more upbeat, universal epilogue. An exhibition celebrating Royal’s work will be held at the Smithsonian, and Royal’s children will be in attendance.
Audience
My hope is that this documentary will appeal to a large group of people. Because the main subject is art, it should appeal to other artists (of all mediums, including artists working with music and film) and people whom like art. The piece would be a portrait of man insane, so in that regard it should also appeal to psychologists and people interested in mental illnesses. Royal’s sci-fi elements and cartoonish leanings make his work attractive to fans of both of these genres as well. The documentary also deals with more universal themes, such as love and divorce, which are instantly recognizable and relatable. The fact that this is not a typical example of either makes the subject all the more thrilling.
Structure
First Act
The documentary would open as Royal, in the process of trying to reconcile with two if his children, dies. It will then be revealed just what he was trying to reconcile for – his insanity and the things he thought about their mother. With the audience hooked by this point, I will retrace and go back to Royal’s childhood. The first act will end with the first of Royal’s visions, and the implications this will have on his later life.
Second Act
The second act will begin with Royal’s marriage to Adell, and will then proceed to discuss his children’s memories of Royal before the divorce. The documentary will next focus on when Adell leaves Royal for another man and takes the children with her. The children will reflect on their move to Texas and on Adell’s new husband. Just as royal’s life shifted to focus on his visions and artwork at this point, so too will the documentary. Psychologists and other analysts will attempt to decipher Royal’s work from this period. Additionally, I think it would be helpful to present a typical “day in the life” of Royal, in order to portray his daily musings and habits, and to show how he lived. This will also hopefully present a more sympathetic view of Royal, allowing the audience to empathize with him.
Third Act
In the final act, Royal’s children will go to his house to look at his artwork and the remnants of his life. My hope is that following this, they will be able to reconcile with their father’s work and lifestyle. After this will follow a more upbeat, universal epilogue. An exhibition celebrating Royal’s work will be held at the Smithsonian, and Royal’s children will be in attendance.
Audience
My hope is that this documentary will appeal to a large group of people. Because the main subject is art, it should appeal to other artists (of all mediums, including artists working with music and film) and people whom like art. The piece would be a portrait of man insane, so in that regard it should also appeal to psychologists and people interested in mental illnesses. Royal’s sci-fi elements and cartoonish leanings make his work attractive to fans of both of these genres as well. The documentary also deals with more universal themes, such as love and divorce, which are instantly recognizable and relatable. The fact that this is not a typical example of either makes the subject all the more thrilling.
Subject
My subject in this documentary will be twofold. On one hand, there is Royal and his artwork. His mental state and lifestyle must be presented so that the audience has a good idea of what an outsider artist is and how they differ from regular artists.
On the other hand, the other subject would be Royal’s children. I would interview all of his children, but try to focus particularly on the feelings and perspectives of a few of them. I would definitely want to focus on the two who attempted to make amends with Royal before he died. I would also try to focus on two of the children less enthusiastic about forgiving him, in order to provide a balance.
Point of View
By approaching this documentary with both objective and analytical intentions, I think that I could develop a successful documentary that investigates the relationship between artists and their mental states while concurrently developing an investigation of artists and their relationship with their world and how their artwork affects this relationship.
My intention in remaining objective with my portrayal of Royal’s life is to allow the material to speak for itself. Royal was a mentally disturbed individual who was deeply affected by the betrayal of his wife, who he loved dearly. If I took sides with Royal, it might gloss over the already beautiful and dark story. If I took sides with Royal’s children and wife, then I run the risk of portraying Royal as nothing more than a mere madman filled with hate.
Impact
The impact I hope to have with this documentary is to intrigue people into approaching artwork analytically, and looking at the effects that art can have on both the artist’s lives and the lives of people the artist knows. Secondly, I hope this documentary serves to inform people about Royal Robertson and his body of work. His work is absorbing and interesting because I think it holds more water when you know his background. One can look at the Mona Lisa and appreciate it for its sublime beauty, but one must know who Adell is and why Royal believes himself wronged to appreciate one of his pieces.
My subject in this documentary will be twofold. On one hand, there is Royal and his artwork. His mental state and lifestyle must be presented so that the audience has a good idea of what an outsider artist is and how they differ from regular artists.
On the other hand, the other subject would be Royal’s children. I would interview all of his children, but try to focus particularly on the feelings and perspectives of a few of them. I would definitely want to focus on the two who attempted to make amends with Royal before he died. I would also try to focus on two of the children less enthusiastic about forgiving him, in order to provide a balance.
Point of View
By approaching this documentary with both objective and analytical intentions, I think that I could develop a successful documentary that investigates the relationship between artists and their mental states while concurrently developing an investigation of artists and their relationship with their world and how their artwork affects this relationship.
My intention in remaining objective with my portrayal of Royal’s life is to allow the material to speak for itself. Royal was a mentally disturbed individual who was deeply affected by the betrayal of his wife, who he loved dearly. If I took sides with Royal, it might gloss over the already beautiful and dark story. If I took sides with Royal’s children and wife, then I run the risk of portraying Royal as nothing more than a mere madman filled with hate.
Impact
The impact I hope to have with this documentary is to intrigue people into approaching artwork analytically, and looking at the effects that art can have on both the artist’s lives and the lives of people the artist knows. Secondly, I hope this documentary serves to inform people about Royal Robertson and his body of work. His work is absorbing and interesting because I think it holds more water when you know his background. One can look at the Mona Lisa and appreciate it for its sublime beauty, but one must know who Adell is and why Royal believes himself wronged to appreciate one of his pieces.
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