Disability Art

Artistic work created by disabled artists that is specifically informed by their experience of disability, often rooted in the social dynamics of identity, disability culture, and the struggle for disability justice and equality. Disability art is distinct from art therapy (which focuses on therapeutic benefit for the individual) and outsider art (which frames the artist's perceived "dysfunctionality" as the source of creativity). Disability art maintains its focus on technical quality and expressive power while drawing on the unique perspectives, embodied experiences, and creative possibilities that emerge from living with disability and using assistive technologies. The close connections between disability art and disability rights movements have produced powerful works that challenge ableist narratives, though its specificity has sometimes resulted in it being sidelined as socio-political activism rather than recognized as art in its own right.