Yu does a great job presenting and condensing the work of "outsider artist" Henry Darger. His life, as well as his work, are fascinating enough to make a movie, and Yu does this intelligently, without sensationalizing or sentimentalizing her subject. Darger does come off as a sort of icon of the eccentric loner (is there another kind??), and the discovery of his work is likened, in tone, to the discovery of Tutankhamen's treasury. But Darger's art and writings are extraordinary for any artist, and are worthy of exultation. This movie is a great introduction to Darger's "realm." There are several books on his exhaustive and radiant oeuvre, and originals of his work can be found in several museums and galleries, particularly The American Folk Art Museum and Gallerie St. Etienne, both in New York City. He's worth Google-ing too.
Review of In the Realms of the Unreal
