AccessAbility
In cooperation with Swedish Institute and Danish Culture Center
Date： 2021.9.25-10.24
Artists: CONG Yan Markus Marcetic
Organizer: InterCulture
Co-organizers: Danish Cultural Center Swedish Institute
Sponsor: MAXHUB Bon Parfumeur Paris
Collaboration with: Universal Fashion Lab (UFL) Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology (BIFT)
Foreword：
From 25 September to 24 October 2021, the exhibition "AccessAbility" will be brought to InterCulture's space in Guangzhou's Huangpu Ancient Port. AccessAbility portrays 26 individuals from various backgrounds and walks of life; 26 people whose hopes, desires, and dreams are shared with the visitors of this exhibition; 26 people who have different types of disabilities but who all stand for themselves, not for their disability. Their common message is that impairment does not determine who you are.
The exhibition will also display textiles developed by Universal Fashion Lab (UFL) of the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology (BIFT), as well as wheelchairs with different functions, in order to enhance public understanding of the needs of people with disabilities.
Why is the title called "AccessAbility"? In the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the term "accessibility", instead of "barrier-free", indicates that every individual is capable of integrating into society in a meaningful and equal way. In the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the slogan "Leave no one behind" is the central promise that each UN member undertakes to work towards closing the gaps of inequality by combating discrimination and by incorporating accessibility in everyday life.
This project intends to visualize that all individuals can contribute to a more diverse and equal society. The 26 portrays cannot tell the whole story about the lives of some 90 million people with disabilities in China, nor the 70,000 people registered as having disabilities in Sweden. But their voices tell us that there is more that unites us than divides us.
With the exhibition of these 26 portraits, and a series of interactive side events, InterCulture wants to convey that we are one of a kind; we all want a life in dignity, in a world that treats all of us fairly and equally. This fight has not yet been won. But if arts give everyone the same chance to be seen and heard, this seems to be a step in the right direction.
AccessAbility is a co-production between the Swedish Institute, the Danish Cultural Centre and InterCulture. Portraits were captured by Swedish photographer and filmmaker Markus Marcetic, and by the independent Beijing-based photographer CONG Yan.
Artists & Collaboration
CONG Yan
Freelance photographer, based in Beijing, mainly focuses on women's issues, urban-rural development, and social issues. The work has been published in multiple domestic and foreign media outlets.
Markus Marcetic
Swedish photographer and film producer, with years of research in the media field and a wide range of interests, mainly focusing on visual communication.
UFL, BFLT
The Beifu Barrier free Clothing Research Center focuses on the needs of people with disabilities for barrier free clothing, integrating various fields such as ergonomics, materials science, psychology, sports medicine, and design disciplines to make breakthroughs in the development and standardization of barrier free products.
Opening Ceremo
Program：
15:00 Guests arrival
16:00 Opening speech
16:30 Performance & Dialogue
17:00 Guided tour & Reception
Events：
Talk Show: Mr. Wheelchair ZHANG Jian
Zhang Jian, a special wheelchair runner who has been active in the Marathon for years. Since 2012, Zhang Jian has "run" 83 marathons. He said that the "wheelchair" was his running shoes. Running not only makes him stronger, but also his way of showing his sense of existence, allowing the disabled to be seen and integrated into society. He will present in the opening ceremony, and to tell about his life as a runner.
Short Film: An Unusually Ordinary Day
This film is about a reversal issue of social identity, where "abnormal" turns to "normal", and "normal" turns to "abnormal".
The film represents how people who are classified as "abnormal" under another social standard are subject to explicit or invisible rejection in every aspect of life.
Through the reversal of the social identities of the able-bodied people and the disabled people, to reflect on the world that has been standardized by the able-bodied people. The problems faced by disabled people are physical obstacles in society and negative attitudes that regard them as alternatives, rather than "disability" itself being a problem. Disability may be an "abnormal" label constructed by acquired nature.
This film is based on reality and is produced through interviews with people who have different physical and mental disabilities.
Meanwhile, we also invited some people and groups full of legendary experience to share stories at the opening ceremony, show the distinct characteristics of people and their individuality.