(RE)INVENTION

Discover the art of fifteen emerging young artists from across the United States who are living with disabilities. Ranging in age from 16 to 25, the artists in this exhibition explore what it means to have a disability and yet resist being defined solely by it. Through their art-making, they question common societal perceptions and expectations as well as discover a profound sense of self. As one artist says, “Making art makes me who I am.”

Each artist presents a unique story through works that range from bold self portraits, to whimsical animation, to soft sculpture. Rather than allowing their disabilities to label them, the artists in this exhibition produce work that embodies the theme of re-invention, re-definition, and re-making. Each artist uses art to consider such identity-based topics as fragility, intimacy, isolation, race, gender, and the body.

Through their various artistic practices, these artists create new contexts that broaden our understanding of disability and foster a sense of inclusion and community.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website