EXHIBITION STATEMENT

Introduction

From TV shows to mainstream media, there are many negative stereotypes, myths, and connotations associated with people who have speech and language disorders. Many will try to hide their disorder because they are seen as weak or incapable. 

A virtual art exhibit, Voices, has been curated to allow people with hearing or speech disorders to express themselves through art, with the significance of building a more holistic understanding between those with hearing and speech disorders and those without. The central question of the capstone is: How can art be used as a form of communication to educate others? The goal of the exhibit is to create a bridge of understanding between those with speech/language disorders and those who don’t through art.

Literature Review 

A summary of scholarly works in the current literature show that the general public lacks awareness about typical speech and hearing disorders. Research by Zhang et al. reveals that most college students cannot identify people who stutter; this may be due to the fact that they do not know the famous person, don’t know that they sutter because their stuttering was not evident during public or broadcasted events, or they were able to suppress it enough for it not to be noticed (Zhang, 1). A review of the literature raises the question, how can art be used to educate and bring awareness to those who have little to no knowledge about speech and language disorders?

One influence is from Speech Language Pathologist Adriana DiGrande’s online art gallery with art pieces from people who stutter, showing what speech impairment feels like to them. Through her gallery, people who stutter have a creative outlet for them to express themselves without the use of words (DiGrande). In relation to other sources, this is a unique approach to self expression. Art can look different for everyone and be interpreted in many different ways (DiGrande). Previous virtual curations that have also influenced this project includes LASC Annual Student Conference’s gallery Rupture, curated by Gabrielle Tillenburg, and the art galleries from the organization Art Enables. Piecing these influences together, the curator will curate an art exhibition to help educate and bring awareness about speech and language disorders.

Methods

Arts and humanities research was used to conduct literature review. Ways to set up an exhibition virtually, as well as ways others have put up virtual exhibitions in the past, have been researched. Then, a variety of questions were used to help guide artists through the artist statement process. The final product is a virtual exhibition website featuring self-expression artwork. 

Audience & Impact  

My audience is the arts scholars and UMD community. In a community passionate about diversity and inclusion, the spirit will be fostered by providing an opportunity for the community to connect with those with speech and language disorders. People can understand their stories and have more awareness and empathy for these individuals. 

The impact of this project is to inform the public about speech/language disorders, as well as building a bridge of understanding and empathy for these individuals. This is important in understanding more about the lives of these individuals and a step forward in changing the stigma and social norms surrounding these disabilities. This project allowed the researcher and curator to realize the power art can have in educating the public and creating a message in an appealing way.  

References  

DiGrande, Adriana. “Stuttering Drawing, Stuttering Artwork, Stuttering Picture | Stuttering Therapy.” Stuttering Therapy, stutteringtherapy.org/gallery.php. Accessed 1 Apr. 2022.

“The science behind the pomodoro technique and how it helps supercharge your productivity.”  

Masooma Memon.  April 2019.

Zhang, Jianliang, et al. “University Students’ Familiarity With Famous People Who Stutter.” Canadian Journal of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, vol. 35, no. 1, 2011. ProQuest, www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/university-students-familiarity-with-famous/docview/1010695305/se-2?accountid=14696.

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Acknowledgements 

I would like to thank all the exhibit artists for sharing their voices. 

I would also like to thank the arts faculty- Heather, Gabi, and Harold, for guiding me through the process.