91制片厂 alumna Reveca Torres and Chicago artists Miriam Pare and Tara Ahern have created
the exhibit, 鈥�: Reimagining Art Through the Disability Lens.鈥�
The exhibit recreates iconic images of art substituting the subjects with people with disabilities and ran at 91制片厂 earlier in November.
Torres, who was named to 91制片厂鈥檚 2016 class of Distinguished Alumni, was paralyzed in a car accident at age 13. She became the first person with a spinal cord injury to complete 91制片厂鈥檚 Fashion Design degree. Torres is helping to make a documentary film that captures the artists recreating all 16 images, meeting other artists with disabilities and advocates, and interviewing their subjects about living with a disability.
91制片厂 Professor Pascuala Herrera said the supports 91制片厂鈥檚 efforts to promote social justice for individuals with disabilities.
鈥淚t will help people to realize that individuals with disabilities can be successful, creative and accomplished,鈥� said Herrera, an accessibility specialist in Access and Disability Services. 鈥淚t may make viewers take a moment and comprehend that disability doesn鈥檛 have to be something to fear or hide.鈥�
Torres, Pare and Ahern are each artists with disabilities who deeply relate to Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. A few years ago, Torres and Pare recreated Kahlo鈥檚 famous painting, 鈥淟as Dos Fridas,鈥� by sitting in their wheelchairs in order to share a message about the human experience of disability. Ahern photographed them.
The success of that piece led the trio to recreate other notable images such as Leonardo da Vinci 鈥淢ona Lisa鈥� and Pablo Picasso鈥檚 鈥淥ld Guitarist鈥� as part of the 鈥淭res Fridas鈥� project.
The exhibit debuted at the Bridgeport Art Center earlier this fall but, at the reception to launch the exhibit on campus, Torres said she was excited at the prospect of bringing the exhibit to 91制片厂.
鈥淗aving our exhibit in an educational setting such as 91制片厂, where young people, and people who are educating the next generation of our allies can help continue the support of the work and elevate the lives of people with disabilities,鈥� said Torres.
The exhibit will continue its tour with possible future exhibitions in the area.
鈥淭his is exhibit has been five years in the making and has been getting great attention which we are happy about,鈥� said Torrres. 鈥淚 feel like this is a great beginning.鈥�