The whys and wherefores of Disability Blogging.
Black and white photo of Paul Darke
Paul Darke is an internationally respected academic, writer and cultural critic who has written and created extensively around the issue of identity and culture. As a conceptual artist he works across art forms, bringing new insights and exciting concepts that challenge conventional views of both art and society.
DAO Blog
Wednesday 24 June 2008
I have been on holiday- very nice thank you. It was to France. I ended up spending a few days in Grenoble as part of it and I was impressed by the accessibility of the place and the high visibility of disabled people in the city. It is actually quite unlike a lot of other European places (including in France) where disabled people are by and large invisible and probably institutionalised. I have no idea why Grenoble is so different (if you know please tell me) but it was a great relief compared the absence of disabled people that is usually so apparent. I only really do Europe as I do not fly: fear is the key. I have no problem with my fear of flying (unlike my fear of dying) and I am quite happy to drive around Europe recognising I am lucky enough to be able to and I can afford it.
I hate coming home even though I am usually relieved to be able to use a loo or a bath at home that actually suites me. So many baths, showers, toilets and the like in hotel - designed for disabled people - are, to put it bluntly, bizarre. A 2 inch deep baths that are only three feet long behind a door is whose view of disability? And no, that was not a shower! Coming home was even more depressing this year as it coincided with the publication of the honours lists: the usual do-gooders and lackeys rewarded for being born patronising or middle or upper class (honest Guv: its not their fault).
What stuck out was a medical honour on the BBC website gloriously titled as 'birth defect test guru knighted.' Basically, the chap in question has been instrumental in developing tests for the pre-natal idetification of Downs Syndrome, Spina Bifida and Anencephaly which does not harm the prospects of normal babies. The BBC proudly told us about the chap that his work has led to a 95% reduction in the prevalence of spina bifida. As a result of his work, antenatal screening for anencephaly and spina bifida is now routine throughout the world.
Now, what can I say. Thanks to this man (who the governernment and the Queen recognise as being more than any other as worthy of credit for such work) there are now virtually no more people like me being born. They are being concieved, they are not being born. But, it goes further: thanks again to this chap we are not even being concieved as we used to be (he is identified as promoting pre-natal strategies such as Folic Acid to prevent our conception much like the Charity that represents people with Spian Bifida: ASBAH). Such joy that he helped rid the world of people with Spina Bifida (and Downs and Anencephaly. Laugh, I could - and did - cry.
What has this got to do with art: a lot actually. Art is now relatively irrelevant in defining humanity or the direction of the great human experiment that is life and society. Science (medicine and its concomitant cohorts particularly) now define humanity. Such a reality will increasingly define our, as artists, significance as art practionioers, our income and our role in wider society. For Disability Art is perhaps our greatest challenge and a cause we fight alone. The reality of the representation of such an honour as above on the likes of the BBC shows the degree to which its any - disability coverage is mere tokenism and that the greater idealogy of the negation of difference is at the core what all culture now seemingly represents. The Quality Press is no different: The Guardian and The Independent (et al) now read like propoganda for a eugenicist futurist movement previous advocates could only have dreamt of (except on Token day on a Wednesday in The Guardian).
Our role as artists is to keep the human in humanity. Something scientists are not actually capable of. Disability Art will not only save disabled people it will save humanity from itself. Unless of course the capitalists destroy us all first!
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Rosa Catton said on 2008-01-28 19:04:
I agree that nothing should just be funded automatically for ever and a day. But do the people pulling the plug really know what disability arts is/are? As a community of disabled artists have we also been guilty of not participating more in building the organisations which claim to represent us even it that were to give critical feedback instead of a kind of told-you-so approach in retrospect. I personally think that LDAFs film festival was brilliant but should have been made more accessible at a grassroots level and the arts council should have funded it. They say they dont fund film projects but ldafs festival screened films which gave great exposure to artists over many different types of art.
Dave Everitt said on 2008-01-29 10:50:
Id like to see a funding structure free from administrative overheads, yet fully accountable; agile enough to respond to emerging directions, yet stable enough to offer continuity. Yet, in an organisational climate where management is seen as a goal in itself, and where arts managers often buy into this management club, these ideals are hard to sustain. The internet is one place where such new structures have some chance of survival, and thats what dao is trying to put in place.
Crippen (daveluptontoons[at]aol.com) said on 2008-02-02 19:25:
Love it - get rid of all disability organisations (and race and sexuality ones too) and then we take it turns to run all the mainstream organisations and venues: thereby having the opportunity to actually make a difference. When do we start?!
Ann Young (anns.home[at]ntlworld.com) said on 2008-02-03 15:56:
As a struggling disabled writer, perhaps I was lucky enough to have taken redundancy from a mainstream arts org before the funding cuts (at least I got some dosh!) but I am still saddened and angry that DisArts and Culture are not valued in mainstream arts. I dont believe the current funding system can build sustainable arts either -it's too sporadic and politically volitile. Whilst DisArts is a wondeful and unique genre in its own right, is there a case for building bigger bridges into mainstream culture whilst maintaining our integrity? Sadly, I tried this and failed.
Bol said on 2008-02-04 11:21:
Its clear that DisArts organisations are not valued by many within and without the funding system - the media doesnt give dis arts much positive press, although they love all the tragic but brave stuff and giving us the occasional slap. Principally, they just don't get it! They dont understand the need for us to wave the disability pride banner - even those disabled people intent on being normal don't get it - so why should the non-disabled hoi poloi. To build bridge into mainstream orgs would only work if there were a lot of understanding of disability issues within that organisation in the first place.
ruth gould (ruth[at]nwdaf.co.uk) said on 2008-04-05 13:51:
Great comments Paul - we have been banging on at needing culture change to appreciate our work, to practically include us and to allow our artistic endeavours to come through - for years now AND we must not give up.
It is frustrating that it always seems to come down to the views of a few people in the know - once they leave the organisation, we have to start all over again. We need to encourage UK Film Council to set directives that have impact and monitor them - we are often put in the education category due to lack of appreciation of the reality in how we create stories that are based on our ordinary lives. Unfortunately people are bogged down with only being compliant to the DDA - we have to keep on battling and make our own opportunities to expose our work. The only way to to do this is keep on linking in with mainstream orgs, venues and being 'in the face' of funders, CEO's, policy makers etc. The threat that we are is purely because the 'keepers' of these positions are defensive to what little they do to include us, to understand what we have to offer and their failure to appreciate that in this increasingly individualistic world our voices challenge the mediocrity of what is seen as worthy.
Kirsty said on 2008-05-07 11:05:
I just want to say that I find Paul's comments and honesty very refreshing! I also get pissed off at the lack of people, particularly fellow artists, who turn up to these events and then complain because they can't get any funding/ audiences for theirs etc etc. And totally agree about deaf/disability politics crap. Can I also add mental health users to this? Nothing annoys me more than those who look 'normal' and can pass for non-disabled, yet have an impairment, who are happy to have disability benefits, freedom passes, and get important jobs in the disability arts world but privately say 'but I don't really think of myself a disabled person'. And there are quite a few well-known people in the dis arts world who do this. Argh!
Joy Dale (joy.dale[at]wolverhampton.gov.uk) said on 2008-07-10 15:25:
Sorry you felt no-one from the City Council had attended the disability film Festival, I am the Joint Commissioner for Long Term Impairments and attended the short films presentation. I was very dissappointed at the lack of support for that particular showing. I would be pleased to discuss with you further, engagement with Disabled people in Wolverhampton and a way forward.
last updated: 2008-01-17 20:34:21