Somatic Shrines for Crip Times

The exhibition features avatars developed from the experiences of the participating performers with disabilities, drawn from contexts beyond purely medical ones.

These avatars appear as large-format prints, digitally projected images and videos documenting their creation. The avatars propose a speculative way of passing on knowledge about disability across time and between people, whilst simultaneously inviting the audience to engage with aspects of health and lived experience that are often given little space in public life.

The process is designed to make participation more accessible for people with disabilities, whilst also taking into account the subtle emotions and sensory experiences shaped by lived experience. Elements of the work emerge from accessibility-focused practices, including choreography based on experiences of disability, the wearing of masks and COVID-19 testing.

The exhibition serves as a window through which to share realities that remain socially invisible, yet are deeply felt, vivid and present just beneath the surface.