In early 2022, the Deluge Collective was commissioned by ADAHK (Hong Kong) to run a series of teacher training lectures and workshops for facilitators working with artists with disability. Over a weekend in January we delivered 24 hours of live interactive creative and practice-driven collaborative exercises for participants via zoom. With the incredible technical assistance of the team at ADAHK, two translators and an incredible on-the-ground facilitator (thanks Monty!) the participants produced some incredibly personal, engaged and challenging work.
I would NEVER have thought such a feat was possible: across 3 international time zones, 6 Deluge members, 16 participants and technical crew we were able to deliver accessible, inclusive, and engaging workshops LIVE and online. The works produced were so astonishing and the feedback so incredibly affirming… the future is disabled.
A few moths after this I was invited by ADAHK to deliver a series of online / zoom workshops for artists with disability associated with ADAHK - solo!
In consultation with the team in Hong Kong, I designed 5 workshops with a duration of 5 hours each exploring different media and techniques: drawing, painting, sculpture / installation, mask making & performance, digital imaging and short film production. At the conclusion we had an accessible, online exhibition via the digital platform kuntmatrix.
It was an incredible experience. Who knew it was possible to facilitate and collaborate in this way? I was in my studio in Brisbane with many of the participants were at the studio on Kowloon, HK - other participants joined us from their homes as HK was undergoing a serious Covid 19 outbreak and safety was our chief concern.
Over a period of six weeks we explored ideas around the social model of disability, the disabled body in historical and contemporary art & media, an overview of leading Cripp artists in Australia, looked at how our bodies inform our practice, learnt some basic digital editing techniques, shared stories, had many laughs and in early June, put together an incredible group exhibition: ‘Explorations’
Read more about ADAHK and the incredible work they do here:
