Unseen Ways uncovers a different picture

An exhibition of artwork by eight Sydney artists living with disability represents part of a "picture" too often missing in the mainstream art world according to the event's organisers.

The month-long exhibition Unseen Ways, which opened this week in the UTS Tower foyer gallery, looks at the way artwork by people with a disability is exhibited. It is the first of a planned yearly event at UTS showcasing the contributions of people with disability to various aspects of culture and society.

UTS Director of Equity and Diversity Jude Stoddart said that in a world that actively disables others, there is an onus on the arts industry to enable artists with a disability to participate fully in all the creative industries. 

"The UTS exhibition is aimed at increasing the visibility of artists who have disabilities and widening the vision of all of us," Ms Stoddart said. 

The Werewolf by James Ackhurst © courtesy the artist. Picture by Effy Alexakis, Photowrite

"One of the values of art is that we are exposed to different perspectives and perceptions of the world, it enriches our way of seeing. These artists may or may not see their art as an expression of their disability, but too often the contribution of artists who have disabilities are excluded from mainstream exposure."

The exhibition's curator Hugh Nichols believes a discerning approach needs to be taken toward work by artists with disabilities. 

"There isn't always a separation of people who use art as a hobby or form of therapy from those who actually approach art as artists," Mr Nichols said. 

"This lack of a discerning approach taken to the work often results in exhibitions that vary drastically in quality, which can be off-putting for people in the arts industry.

"Often work by artists with a disability is approached from the perspective of outsider art or dismissed as the work of hobbyists and therefore not completely legitimate."

He believes that there needs to be increased exposure between the specialised studios that support artists with disabilities and the broader art industry.

"Artists with disabilities need to be exposed to the practices of artists working within contemporary art in order to develop their skills, knowledge and practices, but also to increase opportunities for them to be exhibited more broadly and in contexts outside of the disability arts or disability sector."

The artwork was produced in the Macquarie Hospital (MQE) Studios, Roomies Artspace and Studio ARTES Northside.