Electric Bodies: What is Disability Art?

Summary

The speaker discusses their experience as a disabled person and their involvement in disability art. They express frustration with the lack of understanding surrounding disability art and how it challenges societal barriers. The speaker critiques the art world’s tendency to expect disabled artists to be perfect, highlighting the importance of inclusive performances and the need for true representation of disabled experiences. They emphasize that disability art should not simply aim to portray empowerment or equality, but rather engage with real, raw, and unfiltered aspects of disability and the societal challenges it presents.

Takeaways

• 😀 Disability art expresses the lived experiences of disabled individuals, offering an empathetic, non-vicarious understanding of others' lives.
• 😀 Disability art is seen as a powerful, almost life-affirming force within the disabled community, though often overlooked by the broader world.
• 😀 The speaker highlights the disconnect between traditional art and disability art, likening it to how historical artists like Picasso painted what was contemporary and real in their time.
• 😀 Disability art aims to reflect current barriers disabled people face, challenging societal norms and creating a space for disabled voices.
• 😀 Disabled individuals often seek stories that reflect their own experiences, showing a deep hunger for representation in the arts.
• 😀 There is a frustration with how society excludes disabled people from cultural spaces, such as theatre, where disabled individuals are often not included as equals.
• 😀 The speaker critiques the historical disconnect between disability art and mental health art, where the survivor movement and disability art diverged in their views on impairment.
• 😀 Mental health treatments are seen as disabling, with professionals and societal attitudes contributing to the marginalization of people with mental health conditions.
• 😀 Despite the forward-thinking nature of disability art, it faces challenges in the art world, often clashing with conventional medical models that dominate mainstream art.
• 😀 There is a double standard in how disabled artists are expected to create perfect works, whereas other groups in the arts are allowed more freedom to fail without judgment.
• 😀 The speaker is critical of the trend to frame disability art as a form of empowerment or educational tool for the audience, asserting that it often misses the mark on authentic representation.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the artist's work as discussed in the transcript?

The artist's work focuses on expressing their personal experience as a disabled person and offering an empathetic understanding of others' experiences, particularly related to disability.

How does the artist describe their connection to disability art?

The artist immediately related to disability art because it deals with real, lived experiences and is seen as a vital force within the disabled community, engaging with the current barriers disabled people face.

What criticism does the artist make about society's perception of disability art?

The artist criticizes society for not recognizing disability art, drawing parallels to the works of famous artists like Picasso and Toulouse-Lautrec, who depicted the reality of their time. They argue that disability art is similarly about portraying what is happening in the present, especially the barriers disabled people encounter.

What role does disability art play in the lives of disabled people?

Disability art serves as a platform for disabled people to see their own stories and experiences represented in a creative form. It fosters a sense of belonging and community where people can share perspectives and discuss their lives.

Why does the artist question the exclusion of disabled people from various spaces?

The artist questions why disabled people, such as those with learning disabilities or conditions like Tourette's, are often excluded from spaces like theaters and must actively advocate for their inclusion, despite the growing presence and relevance of disability art.

How does the artist reconcile the disconnect between disability art and mental health?

The artist reconciles the disconnect by acknowledging the disabling effects of psychiatric treatments and attitudes toward people with mental health conditions. They highlight how these individuals are often marginalized in similar ways to those with physical disabilities.

What challenge does the artist face when trying to create and showcase disability art?

The artist faces challenges in getting their work recognized and funded, as their ideas are often seen as too forward-thinking or unconventional within the traditional medical frameworks. This results in difficulty touring and getting support for their projects.

What is the artist’s critique of the expectations placed on disabled artists?

The artist critiques the unrealistic expectations placed on disabled artists, where their work must meet higher standards of quality and perfection than others. This pressure to be flawless often results in their validity being questioned, unlike other artists who are allowed the freedom to fail.

How does the artist feel about the idea of making work to ‘empower’ disabled people?

The artist rejects the idea that disability art should merely be about promoting empowerment or demonstrating how great disabled people are. They view such approaches as shallow and dismiss the notion that art alone will lead to equality or better understanding of disabled people's lives.

What is the artist’s view on ‘relaxed performances’ in theater?

The artist believes that if theater companies are not willing to accommodate relaxed performances, they should openly acknowledge which audiences they do not want to include. The artist emphasizes that no group should be excluded from experiencing art based on their needs.