Saturday 3rd December is International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2022. A day where we celebrate, just that, persons with disabilities and their incredible contribution to our society and culture. So this week's blog explores some of the creatives that are influencing the art world at the moment, whatever the week, just these people are also identified as disabled. As an able bodied person writing this and many of you reading this, I am unaware of the realities and challenges of day to day life, I was appalled by the wheelchair access available on public transport whilst in London, and couldn't help but think, people are ignoring this issue because it doesn't effect most of us and it would be expensive to change. Yet, it excluded those that it does from some fantastic opportunities, which is absolutely outrageous. Groups like the UK Disability Arts Alliance work to ensure access is available to the arts, in whatever capacity people need, they also provide spaces you can visit to make and share your thoughts and ideas. In college changes have been made to ensure college is accessible to all, which is great, but I don't experience these realities so I hope some of you could share with us your experiences in a later blog, should you be interested too. I am hugely impressed by the creatives below and their output, when they talk about their own disabilities it is to make sure others have the opportunities they had, without having to fight to get the same chances, many abled bodied people take for granted . They show that creativity can be explored in any way and the fact you are disabled should add to your creative output not hinder it or define you as an individual. The fact that these artists are disabled doesn't make the work better or more interesting. Great artwork, music and film making is just that and these creatives, and many more, are just brilliant artists and should be recognised as such.
ARTIST: YINKA SHONIBARE
Yinka Shonibare is a British Nigerian artist who I have featured for other reasons in the blog previously. He is one of the best and most famous british artists working today, an RA and patron of ShapeArts, which champions other disabled creatives. His studio in Hackney, has a space that up and coming creatives can hire and use, so he continues to work with and create at the cutting edge of the contemporary art scene in London. His work references gender, race, culture and colonialism. A celebration of how British Culture is much more vibrant, colourful and interesting because of the impact of the many different cultures that make up Britain.
Shonibare's disability is a degenerative condition, which means he now has to use and electric wheel chair and has a team of workers who ensure his ideas are made into art work so his creative practice can continue.
ARTIST: RYAN GANDER
I first became aware of Ryan Gander when he was presenting the culture show on BBC2. He also did an amazing documentary about Japanese culture and the desire to embrace the new and not to follow trends but instead create them, called The Idea of Japan. It is available on Planet estream which I have linked he also writes for the Guardian on a range of topics. Ryan is a fantastic artist, from Chester his sculptural works are usually quite fun, with some more serious themes throughout. His documents and interviews are really interesting and the linked Japanese Culture show is a must for all of you who want to use Japanese Culture in your work.
Below is a Guardian interview where Ryan talks about his thoughts and process. The Guardian won't let it display here but you can follow the link and watch on Youtube.
MUSICIAN: DAME EVELYN GLENNIE
Dame Evelyn Glennie is one of the worlds greatest percussive artists, she also happens to be deaf. She has used her connection, to the vibrations, of the many percussive instruments she can play, to produce some spellbinding performances and compositions.
The What do artists do all day episode, that explores her preparations for a concert is linked here. You will get an insight as to how she works and how she doesn't let here deafness define her, or hinder her creativity. You will see her studio space and her collection of all the instruments she explores, including a xylophone made from wrenches.
Here is a Ted talk where she talks about the act of listening and performs using a range of instruments.
Watch a full performance below by following the link to YouTube. A quite spectacular performance.
ARTIST: SAWADA SHINICHI
Sawada Shinichi is a Japanese Outsider Artist. Which is an artist, who is not formally trained and often lives in an assisted environment due to their mental or physical disabilities. Sawada's Austism, leaves him with very little communication and so is practically mute, so little is truely known about the meanings in the work. Sawada works in an outdoor studio constantly, throughout the summer as in the winter it makes his practice impossible. During the winter months he works in a bakery, making artisanal breads.
I first saw his work in an Outsider art exhibition at the Wellcome Collection in London. His strange creatures are expertly made and reflect Japanese traditional stories, mixed with more contemporary anime and manga references.
Followed the linked phrases above to find out more about Outsider art, in general, there is plenty to really great stuff to discover.
RADIO: HOUSE QUAKE PLAYLIST
On Mary Ann Hobbs' 6 Music show today she spoke to the BBC Presenter Hannah Peel and members of the Paraorchestra about the importance and representation of disabled artists in the music world. Musician Molly Joyce also spoke on these issues and the barriers that are in place for disabled artists and what can be done to break these barriers down. Then an amazing House Quake playlist was played which at times acted as a sonic collage, with words and music reflecting the impact disabled creatives have on the musical world. A really great listen, that you can find by follow this link.
Disability as Creativity: Designers with Disabilities Share Their Stories
The full article is on the Playground Website, loads of great examples of the work and another perspective of life as a creative who has a disability. Here is a snippet below....
"We’re all unique snowflakes, each of us offering a one-of-a-kind perspective of our time here on Earth. That much is for sure. Yet for some minority groups, their unique experience of the world requires adjustments to be made, so that they can navigate the architecture, technology and the tools created, almost entirely, by the majority group.
For many disabled designers, this imbalance has to change. Calling for inclusivity and accessibility in design, they confront topics of disability and bias in their works. Designers Shannon Finnegan and Ryan Seslow all agree that their disabilities have honed their creativity, and allowed them to develop a specialised set of skills."
CREATIVE OPPORTUNITY: ABSTRACT ADVENT
Abstract Advent is back. It's a daily task to respond to the different shapes on the grid below. Inspired by the work of a wide range of artists each shape can be explored visually or in literacy terms. As a department last year, we completed the form and will look attempt to repaet that this year. Follow the link to download a copy here or check your teams and emails for your own copies.