VSA and the International Day of Persons with Disabilities
On December 3, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, VSA, the international organization on arts and disability, presented a global screening of British artist Simon Mckeown’s video installation Motion Disabled in 17 countries to raise awareness about disability rights.
Motion Disabled is a digital exploration that captures the movements of 15 people with disabilities performing a range of activities from kickboxing to riding a bicycle.
“There are 650 million people with disabilities--ten percent of the world’s population. On December 3, we’re making a statement that everyone deserves inclusion and access to equal opportunities,” said Soula Antoniou, VSA president. “This installation by one of Britain’s most experienced 3D animators explores the uniqueness of each person’s physicality and challenges conventional ideas of motion and disability.”
Using motion capture, a technique commonly associated with feature films and computer games, Mckeown recorded actors’ movements and then mapped the movements onto 3D models--or avatars--that replicate those real-life movements.
“I’m very proud to partner with VSA to raise awareness about the rights of people with disabilities worldwide,” commented artist Simon Mckeown, who is based at Teesside University. “My hope is that this art sparks conversations and changes attitudes about disability.”
This mesmerizing installation, which will be screened outdoors at most sites, will be shown in the following countries:
Argentina - India - Mexico - Scotland - Uruguay
Australia - Ireland - Norway - Senegal
England - Kosovo - Russia - Sri Lanka
Iceland - Latvia - Saudi Arabia - United States of America
A short video is also available for online viewing on a Facebook page where people worldwide can post their own videos, share information, and join discussions about disability and the arts.
The International Day of Persons with Disabilities was instituted by the United Nations in 1992 to encourage support for disability rights around the world.
