As a springboard for understanding empathy, the Fralin Museum of Art decided to explore different forms of disability – to help visitors think about the experience of being blind or visually impaired, deaf or hard of hearing, unable to walk.
“Empathy means kind of really understanding and being aware of someone else’s point of view," says Kristin Nassif, Curator of Collections. "The exhibition reckons with this practice of empathizing and also kind of like the tensions that can come about when we’re trying to put ourselves in somebody else’s shoes.”
The show, called In Feeling, uses sight and sound to help visitors imagine the experience of someone who is disabled.
“We also have vibro-tactile technologies for all of the audio-visual works that convert audio sounds into vibrations, so you can feel the sound as well as hear the sound," Nassif says.
The idea came from a series of interviews done by co-curator Molly Joyce. She interviewed people with disabilities – recording their thoughts on a cure, on vulnerability and rest.
“I sometimes feel guilty for the rests that I take," says one of those who was interviewed, "but I know it’s needed, and I know that everyone needs rest.”
Various artists with disabilities contributed to the show, including Virginia Beach artist and musician JJJJJerome Ellis.
“He typically spells his name with five Js at the front, because he’s a stuttering artist, and he usually stutters on his first name," Joyce explains.
He created what’s called a Sonic Bathhouse – a place with subdued lighting, stuffed furniture and music.
“And as you can probably hear, it’s very relaxing piece that encourages you to slow down.”
Toward that end, artist Finnegan Shannon created a bright blue bench that allows visitors to share their opinions by sitting down.
“This exhibition has asked me to stand for too long. Sit if you agree, so this series literally inserts accessibility into the museum space," Nassif says.
And artist Park McArthur, who relies on a wheelchair, contributed a giant block of foam.
“This is the largest industrial size block of foam. It’s used in a variety of objects including wheelchairs. This material holds many wheelchairs worth of foam.”
The museum is housed in a building constructed ninety years ago, so there are plenty of stairs, and people who have mobility issues are encouraged to use a back door where they can roll into an elevator. When Shannon first saw it, he resolved to make the small lobby more meaningful with custom wallpaper.
“So there’s kind of a range of images on the wallpaper that include images of stairs at the Bailey Building, architectural renderings, but there are also images from the 1990 capital crawl which was really important in disability activism, and then there are quotes from different folks over time talking about a love of ramps over stairs," Nassif says.
Like this statement from Joan Peters.
“I think ramps are marvelous. I think you have to be in my condition to realize how even one step can be a barrier. I couldn’t get past that one step myself. Anything that acts as a barrier gives me an awful, trapped feeling.”
The show is available through January fourth in Charlottesville and will travel nationally through 2029.
