tskushi21
Ugly Truths, 2010
I call this picture “The Ugly Truths,” because I feel that there is so much hidden about paralysis, that the average person doesn’t know, or takes for granted. When people see me in my manual wheelchair, they might not realize that I’m paralyzed. I don’t use a trache, so for the most part, my outward appearance looks perfectly normal. For all people know, I could have a twisted ankle. I prefer to go out in a manual chair, versus a power chair, for that precise reason; it draws less attention to my disability, and leaves people guessing as to my condition. Certain disabilities create more drastic physical differences in individuals, like severe contractures, and abnormally small limbs. With the exception of my scars, most of the evidence regarding my paralysis is hidden by my clothing. When people see me, they don’t necessarily know the severity of my injury. No one can see the scar on my stomach, the scars from bed sores, my abdominal binder, my catheter, or my wrist contractures, because I chose to hide it. I want to look, “normal,” like my old self. Our society promotes conformity and bombards us with images, and products related to style and beauty. It’s hard to feel pretty, when you feel so different.
I chose to use the concept of super models to emphasize the contrast between conventional beauty, and the “ugly” truths that my disability forces me to deal with and that are otherwise hidden from the general public. I’ve always been extremely self conscious about my looks, and my accident has robbed the little self esteem I had. I no longer feel sexy, or beautiful, on the outside. I want people to realize that there are so many aspects of paralysis that they don’t see; aspects of life that they take for granted. I drew the model in the foreground with a supra-pubic catheter coming out of her stomach, holding it in place of a purse, and the model in the background has a urinary leg bag, strapped to her leg. Both models are wearing adult diapers. This collage is a juxtaposition of convention beauty and severe disability. Some people might be offended, or not want to see this scene, in real life. Reality is, paralysis isn’t pretty. Incontinence is a reality paralysis forces on many people. It's a basic freedom that most people take for granted. I want people to understand and know about the ugly truths that those of us living with paralysis have to face every day.
Ugly Truths, 2010
I call this picture “The Ugly Truths,” because I feel that there is so much hidden about paralysis, that the average person doesn’t know, or takes for granted. When people see me in my manual wheelchair, they might not realize that I’m paralyzed. I don’t use a trache, so for the most part, my outward appearance looks perfectly normal. For all people know, I could have a twisted ankle. I prefer to go out in a manual chair, versus a power chair, for that precise reason; it draws less attention to my disability, and leaves people guessing as to my condition. Certain disabilities create more drastic physical differences in individuals, like severe contractures, and abnormally small limbs. With the exception of my scars, most of the evidence regarding my paralysis is hidden by my clothing. When people see me, they don’t necessarily know the severity of my injury. No one can see the scar on my stomach, the scars from bed sores, my abdominal binder, my catheter, or my wrist contractures, because I chose to hide it. I want to look, “normal,” like my old self. Our society promotes conformity and bombards us with images, and products related to style and beauty. It’s hard to feel pretty, when you feel so different.
I chose to use the concept of super models to emphasize the contrast between conventional beauty, and the “ugly” truths that my disability forces me to deal with and that are otherwise hidden from the general public. I’ve always been extremely self conscious about my looks, and my accident has robbed the little self esteem I had. I no longer feel sexy, or beautiful, on the outside. I want people to realize that there are so many aspects of paralysis that they don’t see; aspects of life that they take for granted. I drew the model in the foreground with a supra-pubic catheter coming out of her stomach, holding it in place of a purse, and the model in the background has a urinary leg bag, strapped to her leg. Both models are wearing adult diapers. This collage is a juxtaposition of convention beauty and severe disability. Some people might be offended, or not want to see this scene, in real life. Reality is, paralysis isn’t pretty. Incontinence is a reality paralysis forces on many people. It's a basic freedom that most people take for granted. I want people to understand and know about the ugly truths that those of us living with paralysis have to face every day.