ON DISPLAY | Boston

December 3rd is International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The annual observance was proclaimed in 1992 by United Nations General Assembly. It aims to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic, and cultural life. To honor this day, we give you ON DISPLAY.

ON DISPLAY is a deconstructed art exhibit and commentary on the body as spectacle and society's obsession with body image. Members of the disability, performance, and fashion worlds are often stared at and objectified in their daily lives. Initiated in 2015, and normally performed in-person at dozens of locations around the globe, this year will mark the second, large-scale 24-hour Zoom performance event bringing together representatives and viewers from over 30 countries.

Reverting the gaze is integral to disability culture. In this installation, the performers have the power to choose what they do or do not reveal, giving them control over a personal journey that cannot help but be affected by an audience. The tenuous and complex relationship between viewer and viewed that exists in performative work also permeates everyday life with people who are different in some physical way and hence draws attention to themselves whether they want to or not.

We invite you to enter the ON DISPLAY experience by photographing, filming, posting your walk through and/or creating your own sculpture. Use the hashtag #OnDisplayGlobal2022 to explore the intersection of art, fashion, and the everyday.