Shifting Gears
a juried exhibit of 15 award-winning young artists with disabilities

For the fourth year, VSA Arts and Volkswagen of America, Inc., have partnered to recognize and showcase young artists with disabilities, ages 16 - 25, who are living in the United States. This collaboration supports these artists at a critical time when many are deciding whether to pursue the arts as a career. The award validates, and helps finance, that life-defining choice.

These 15 finalists were asked to reflect on a pivotal moment, a time when things changed dramatically for them. This theme challenged each one to pause and contemplate their life and its relationship to art and disability. The entries mark a moment in time where life turned a corner, where reflection resulted in a new path to creative expression. For many, change was an internal process of self discovery. For others, the shift transpired within their artwork, allowing for new media or a new theme, perspective, or subject matter. For some, change was imposed due to outside perceptions about their life and abilities.

These artists are motivated by an intense desire and dedication to practice fine art. Art is their gateway to understanding the past, the unique contributions of all artists, the boundaries that define us, and the personal philosophies that influence their own work. Self-directed by an inherent need to create, many employ the arts as personal exploration. Their work becomes a profound search for identity and a way to share their unique perspectives.

At some definable point in their artistic development, a remarkable change occurs in confidence and self perception where the artists and their work transcend. The artists realize that disability is an imposed limitation, and begin to appreciate and focus on their abilities. With this new perspective, the work is allowed to incorporate references to their personal experience. The art shifts gears into something greater and deeper. Disability is seen as inspiration, content, and motivation. Through art they are able to connect to humanity.

to top