Thu 9/22 @ 5:30PM
Artists Archives of the Western Reserve’s upcoming show, W/O Limits: Art, Chronic Illness, & Disability, features artists whose commonality might not be obvious in their work: all deal with a chronic illness or disability of some type, as do about a quarter of Americans. And while the focus may be on inclusion and raising awareness of what these artists are dealing with, in fact most of them have already made a name for themselves on the quality and value of their work.
AAWR’s Mindy Tousley and Megan Alves curated the show, conceived by Alves as a response to her own progressive autoimmune condition.
“After I was diagnosed, I started looking around. I realized how many brilliant artists I knew who were also living with some form of disability,” she says in the show’s press release. “Far from diminishing the quality of their work, these challenges make their art more powerful because it addresses the complex realities of living in a human body. It is fearless, and ultimately, about us all.”
W/O Limits features nine northeast Ohio artists in a range of mediums and styles, including painting, video performances, touchable sculptures and interactive digital installations. They include Sarah Brown, Kristi Copez, Chappelle Letman Jr., MANDEM, Meg Matko, Arabella Proffer, Nate Puppets, Andrew Reach, and Kate Snow. The show will feature an array of accessibility accommodations including Braille text, touchable sculpture for people with sensory sensitivities and visual impairment, a wheelchair-friendly layout, large-font handouts, labels at wheelchair heights, tours available with deaf interpreters, chairs for people with mobility issues and special hours for the immuno-compromised and people with sensory issues.
The opening reception on Thursday September 22 is free and no registration is required. The show will be on view through November 12.