Riva Lehrer is a painter, teacher and writer who focuses on issues of physical identity and the socially challenged body. She was born with spina bifida, a congenital birth defect. Continue reading “Riva Lehrer”
Category: Disability Research
Sunny (Sunaura) Taylor
Sunaura Taylor is a self-taught artist who paints with her mouth or toes since she was born with a joint and muscular disability that limits the use of her arms and legs. Continue reading “Sunny (Sunaura) Taylor”
Examined Life with Judith Butler
I found this short extract from the film Examined Life, where Sunaura Taylor and Judith Butler ‘take a walk’ and discuss a number of issues Continue reading “Examined Life with Judith Butler”
Chuck Close
Hevey mentioned Sunny Taylor and Lehrer as examples of artists known only within disability circles (as disabled artists), and Close as an artist known outside of those circles and as such not a ‘disabled artist’ but an artist. I am familiar with Close’s work, but haven’t really engaged with it in any depth until now. Continue reading “Chuck Close”
Facing Dyslexia: The Education of Chuck Close
This paper, by professor of psychology Ken Gobbo, looks at how Close’s dyslexia and prosopagnosia led to him developing his unique style. It also makes clear that it was the loving environment provided by his parents, together with the encouragement of Close’s teacher that motivated him to become a professional artist. Continue reading “Facing Dyslexia: The Education of Chuck Close”
Bruce Gilden
Although I have not experienced Close’s work at first hand, I had a similar unsettling experience when I saw the close up colour portraits by Bruce Gilden at the exhibition Eyes Wide Open!. Continue reading “Bruce Gilden”
Disability and photography
I wanted to look at how disability is explored by photographers in different cultures and contexts.
The ADA image project
This project is a brainchild of disabled activist, attorney and photographer Mary Lou Mobley, and is advertised online as “A photographic celebration of the profound changes and personal connections made possible by the Americans with Disabilities Act.” It sets out to collect images that document changes brought about by the ADA. Continue reading “The ADA image project”
Tom Olin
Some of the images are available online through a retrospective hosted on the New Mobility website. The images deal firstly with activism, in particular the 1990s campaigns around Capitol Hill, where people in wheelchairs climbed the steps or chained themselves to objects of oppression such as revolving doors: Continue reading “Tom Olin”
Christopher Voelker
Following a link from the same lead, I came across the work of Voelker. A studio-based photographer, Voelker managed to transcend his disability to become a renowned celebrity portrait photographer in his own right. Continue reading “Christopher Voelker”
Carl Whetham photography 