Art in Institutions: The Emergence of (Disabled) Outsiders

In this article, we use a disability studies lens to examine ways in which the artworks of disabled people 1 are bonded in a common sociopolitical experience. We analyze the history surrounding institutional art and the emergence of community art centers at the time of deinstitutionalization in the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Studies in art education 2015-01, Vol.56 (2), p.127-141
Main Authors: Wexler, Alice, Derby, John
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Access to Education
Aesthetic Education
Art Activities
Art Education
Art Expression
Art Teachers
Art Therapy
Artists
Arts Centers
Austria
Behavior
California
Children with disabilities
Classrooms
Communication (Thought Transfer)
Communication Disorders
Community Action
Community Relations
Deafness
Disabilities
Disability
Down Syndrome
Educational Legislation
Educational Practices
Foreign Countries
Institutionalized Persons
Interpersonal Relationship
Mainstreaming
Mental Disorders
Mental Retardation
People with disabilities
Physical Disabilities
Psychological Patterns
Social Behavior
Social interaction
Socialization
Special education
Special Needs Students
Stereotypes
Students with disabilities
Teachers
Teaching methods
Vermont
Visual Arts
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Summary:In this article, we use a disability studies lens to examine ways in which the artworks of disabled people 1 are bonded in a common sociopolitical experience. We analyze the history surrounding institutional art and the emergence of community art centers at the time of deinstitutionalization in the late 20th century. As a result of this synchronicity, art centers were able to offer the Arts as a means of communication, as well as to assist disabled people in making smooth transitions into their communities. We suggest that the innovative communication techniques developed in these centers could be adopted within all art programs and inclusive classrooms that serve severely disabled students, particularly learners with communication impairments. The article presents the House of Artists, The Community Growth Art Center, and the Grass Roots Art and Community Effort as strong examples of art education sites that transcend traditional "outsider" stereotypes by diligently striving to understand how and what disabled people communicate in the visual arts.
ISSN:0039-3541
2325-8039
DOI:10.1080/00393541.2015.11518956