I’ve set myself an ambitious task to put on an exhibition of disabled textile artists’ work. This is a response to Grayson Perry’s tapestry series “The Vanity of Small Differences” being shown in Leeds, in a venue that is inaccessible for many disabled people. The project aims to show how disabled people enrich arts and culture, while protesting the exclusion of disabled people from cultural events.
The tapestry series will be on display on the first floor of Temple Newsam House, in a wing of the building that is only accessible by stairs. Leeds City Council is being quite upfront about the fact that people will be excluded, and says that there was nowhere else suitable to show the work. This is despite having over a year to plan this show.
The fact that the tapestries will be shown amongst antique furniture, paintings and wallpaper will be little consolation to those disabled people who are invited instead to enjoy “the interpretation space [which] is accessible, with information about the show, a film of the tapestries in situ and a digital guide app to zoom in and view the details of the tapestries”. Once again it seems that aesthetics has trumped access and inclusion, an argument that is all too familiar to disabled people.
To add insult to injury, there’s a suggestion that disabled people might travel to Birmingham or Liverpool to see the tapestries, where local authorities have managed to show them in accessible venues.
Complaints have been made, but at this late stage it’s unlikely that much can be done to improve access. Despite the tight timescale, I’m confident that local disabled artists will be able to respond in a positive way, which is where the idea for this exhibition sprang from. By showing textile-based work, we’ll be making a clear link to the tapestries.
The exhibition of disabled artists’ work in Leeds will open at the end of August, close to the date of the opening of the tapestries exhibition.
I’m looking for Yorkshire-based (or, even better, Leeds-based) disabled textile artists who have work that they would like to be considered for this exhibition. (Disabled artists include people with physical or sensory impairments, learning difficulties, mental health problems or other long term conditions).
I’ve been offered two venues in Leeds for the exhibition: a community arts space that is also used as a cafe and for creative workshops; and a smaller gallery in a building that also houses artists’ studios. The community arts centre can host the exhibition for approximately 6 weeks; the other gallery for around a fortnight.
If you are a disabled artist with textile-based work that you would like to be considered, please get in touch with me as soon as possible, by Saturday 26th July at the latest. Please send me photographs of your work. Work of various sizes will be considered, apart from extremely large pieces.
Deadline for Submissions: 26th July
Exhibition dates TBC: 26th August – 9th Sept / 3rd Oct
I’m grateful for the support of a number of individuals and organisations with this project, particularly Inkwell Arts and East Street Arts. If you would like to join in the development of the project and can offer any support, I’d love to hear from you.
The project is constantly and rapidly developing, so whether you wish to be considered for the exhibition or want to get involved in any other way, please be prepared to be flexible. It probably goes without saying that this project is unfunded and is reliant on lots of goodwill!
To submit work for consideration, or for more information about this project, get in touch with me at: gill.crawshaw@gmail.com or on Twitter: @Championwonder
Gill Crawshaw