a juried exhibit of 10 award-winning young artists with disabilities Introduction:

In 2002,VSA arts and Volkswagen of America, Inc. launched "Expressing Freedom," a call for art which encouraged young artists with disabilities to contemplate freedom in their lives. The resulting 131 submissions demonstrated that freedom does not always refer to an external state but, as reflected by an abundance of self-portraits received, can be more intimate, quite internal, or personal. Artists typically create self-portraits as a way of exploring themselves. A popular subject matter, self-portraits reveal the curiosity of a person intrigued by the mystery of his or her own life. Through the self-portrait, the artist dissects his or her own features and recreates them into a new depiction of self. This introspective process enables aspects of the artist's personality to surface. People who have faced situations that restricted their personal freedom tend to perceive freedom as an internal state. "Expressing Freedom" illustrates that many artists with disabilities share a struggle to overcome their own perception that they cannot exist as a whole person. Through self-portraits, the artists explore, and have chosen to convey, who they are and what they feel; these artists are their own expressions of freedom.

"Expressing Freedom" a juried exhibit of 10 award-winning young artists with disabilities on view September 26 - October 27, 2002 S. Dillon Ripley Center Smithsonian Institution 1100 Jefferson Drive, S.W. Washington, D.C.

Over 20,000 call for entries were sent to high schools and colleges around the country inviting submissions by young artists, ages 16 - 25 with disabilities, to illustrate the theme "Expressing Freedom." Of the 131 entries received, these 10 finalists will be awarded a total of $25,000 provided by Volkswagen of America, Inc. Visit the online exhibit on the VSA arts site. Note: Selecting smaller images on exhibit pages will reveal larger versions of the artwork.

Exhibit Exhibit Content Written by: Stephanie Moore, Director of Artist Services, VSA arts, in Washington, D.C. email: webmaster@vsarts.org Maryam Ovissi, Project Consultant and Manager email galleryovissi@hotmail.com Exhibit Designed by: Chris Jeffries, Internet Content and Marketing Manager, VSA arts, in Washington, D.C. webmaster@vsarts.org All text and images on this site are covered under the VSA arts copyright policy. The contents of this exhibit were developed under a grant from the Department of Education. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.

Volkswagen believes that the "heartware" is equally important as the "hardware." For people with disabilities, the automobile provides both freedom of mobility and self-expression. VSA arts is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1974 by Jean Kennedy Smith to promote education and lifelong learning opportunities in the arts for people with disabilities. Nearly 5 million people participate inVSA arts programs annually. Many of them participate in programs sponsored by a worldwide network of affiliate organizations.VSA arts programs in music, dance, drama, creative writing, and the visual arts develop learning skills, encourage independence, and promote access and inclusion. VSA arts 1300 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 700 Washington, D.C. 20036 USA Tel +1.202.628.2800 • TTY +1.202.737.0645 • Fax +1.202.737.0725 http://www.vsarts.org/ .