Quinn West
BFA, Time Arts
Biography
Quinn West is a disabled artist who uses they them pronouns. Their work consists of many mediums including photography, computer generated imagery, and digital animations. Their work mainly focuses on disability rights, and mental health. West was born in a rural area of China during 1996. They grew up around the chicago suburbs where they continue to work.
They will graduate with their BFA in Time Arts at Northern Illinois University in 2020. Quinn’s photographic work has been featured in “Challenging the Stigma: Mental Health and Wellness, as well as a photo zine that is held at the School of the Art Institute of Illinois photo book collection. Their work continues to evolve and explore the intersectionalities of their own identity.
Artist Statement
The world we live in provides what we need such as education, food, technology, and social interaction. However, the world I live in leaves me unable to access the same things as most people. The society I experience reminds me every day that I am not made to be a part of it. Everyday I watch as people are able to enjoy things that I struggle to even access. As a Deaf artist I’ve begun focusing on the amount of remaining ableism since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990. Disability activism hasn’t even been around for a century. This activism focuses on the social model of disability, which aims to fix the system not the people. Other disabled activists and artists such as Park McArthur, Tony Heston and Joseph Grigley have made me aware of the lack of representation and presence in the art space. By using CGI models I am creating a realistic world that provokes the viewer to observe their own world, and how they can fix the system, not the people. In a world where art brings awareness about complex and taboo topics, there is clearly a lack of conversation on disability and the rights that we have.
Deaf World, 2019
Archival Inkjet Print, 16″x24″
Invasive, 2019
3D Generated Image, 11″x17″
Representation, 2020
3D Generated Image, 11″x16″
Listening Fatigue, 2019
Archival Inkjet Print, 11″x16″
Pinball #5, 2019
3D Animation Still
1920px x 1080px, 1:00min
Untitled 1, 2019
Archival Inkjet Print, 11″x16″
Quinn West
BFA, Time Arts
Biography
Quinn West is a disabled artist who uses they them pronouns. Their work consists of many mediums including photography, computer generated imagery, and digital animations. Their work mainly focuses on disability rights, and mental health. West was born in a rural area of China during 1996. They grew up around the chicago suburbs where they continue to work.
They will graduate with their BFA in Time Arts at Northern Illinois University in 2020. Quinn’s photographic work has been featured in “Challenging the Stigma: Mental Health and Wellness, as well as a photo zine that is held at the School of the Art Institute of Illinois photo book collection. Their work continues to evolve and explore the intersectionalities of their own identity.
Statement
The world we live in provides what we need such as education, food, technology, and social interaction. However, the world I live in leaves me unable to access the same things as most people. The society I experience reminds me every day that I am not made to be a part of it. Everyday I watch as people are able to enjoy things that I struggle to even access. As a Deaf artist I’ve begun focusing on the amount of remaining ableism since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990. Disability activism hasn’t even been around for a century. This activism focuses on the social model of disability, which aims to fix the system not the people. Other disabled activists and artists such as Park McArthur, Tony Heston and Joseph Grigley have made me aware of the lack of representation and presence in the art space. By using CGI models I am creating a realistic world that provokes the viewer to observe their own world, and how they can fix the system, not the people. In a world where art brings awareness about complex and taboo topics, there is clearly a lack of conversation on disability and the rights that we have.
Deaf World, 2019
Archival Inkjet Print, 16″x24″
Invasive, 2019
3D Generated Image, 11″x17″
Representation, 2020
3D Generated Image, 11″x16″
Listening Fatigue, 2019
Archival Inkjet Print, 11″x16″
Pinball #5, 2019
3D Animation Still
1920px x 1080px, 1:00min
Untitled 1, 2019
Archival Inkjet Print, 11″x16″
