Amidst ongoing efforts to decolonize galleries, museums, and the sprawling artistic landscape, it is crucial to prioritize the inclusion of people with disabilities throughout the curatorial and design processes. 

 

This project is a small-scale curatorial endeavor aiming to replicate the frustrating experience of navigating an infrastructure that inadequately supports individuals with disabilities or those who do not conform to oppressive able-bodied norms. The installation portrays the tension and challenges faced by people in disabled communities as they interact with artistic and cultural environments that were not designed to accommodate them. The confined and restrictive space highlights the discomfort and uncertainty experienced in such exclusive spaces when accessibility is implemented as an afterthought rather than an integral part of the creative process. Viewers are invited to share in the uncomfortable atmosphere alongside strangers, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and interdisciplinary approaches to accessibility in the design of creative endeavors. 

 

Exploring and de-constructing exclusive systems and designs, I, IN MY CORNER, WITH MY MONSTROUS NEEDS aims to bring attention to the impact of accessibility limitations in social and artistic contexts. Viewers are encouraged to critically consider how we design and curate art and art spaces to ensure accessibility. The installation intends to start discussions and raise awareness about how access affects individuals not only physically, but emotionally, psychologically, and creatively. 

 

Exhibition design and curation by

Ava Holtzman

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