South Middlesex Times

The Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University–New Brunswick is presenting Smoke & Mirrors, its main fall exhibition, which challenges traditional notions of accessibility in art spaces. The exhibit features the work of 14 international artists with disabilities and explores "access aesthetics," a genre that makes inequities in museums more transparent.

Curated by Amanda Cachia, a scholar, curator, and disability arts activist, the exhibition runs from September 4 through December 22 in the Focus and Voorhees galleries at the Zimmerli. Admission is free.

Zimmerli Director Maura Reilly expressed hope that the installation would enlighten audiences. "The exhibition itself that Dr. Cachia organized is literally about access and the ways in which these artists have to deal with barriers in art institutions," Reilly said, emphasizing that accessibility efforts are integral to the museum's mission.

Reilly noted that the exhibition resulted from a disability “listen and learn” roundtable event hosted by the museum in 2022. This event was attended by over 40 people with disabilities from New Brunswick and Middlesex County. "One of our primary foci at the Zimmerli is ensuring that marginalized and underrepresented artists have a platform," she said.

Cachia described how Smoke & Mirrors aims to make issues of access more visible to the general public. "The exhibition really comes from the perspective of a disabled person or a disabled artist specifically," she explained.

One featured artist, Corban Walker from Dublin, will install a maze of 30 stanchions to simulate obstacles he faces due to his short stature. Nicole Simpson, associate curator of prints and drawings at Zimmerli, highlighted that it will be a multimedia exhibition including video, drawings, sculptures, touchable art, and site-specific installations.

Several related events are planned:

- An opening reception on September 14.

- SparkNight celebrating Disability Awareness Month on October 10.

- Art Together: Celebrating Differences on October 13.

- A performance by JJJJJerome Ellis on November 21.

- Two virtual events by Cachia: an artist roundtable on November 5 and a book launch on December 13.

The exhibition allows Zimmerli to implement accessibility practices such as Braille, large print materials, audio descriptions, and American Sign Language interpretations.

Reilly shared her personal connection to disability issues through her sister’s experiences with barriers in daily life. She hopes audiences will consider how many individuals might experience disabilities or face physical barriers during their lifetime.

Funding for Smoke & Mirrors includes $180,000 from the Ford Foundation and $29,250 from Middlesex County Cultural & Arts Trust Fund. Bilingual text support was provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program.