Larissa Danielle

Artist statement-

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   I do it, you do it, the birds and the bees do it. We all do it. Sexual needs, feelings, and desires are a part of our human existence. It is how we love and it’s how we express our feelings towards who we desire. Romance, passion, and intimacy are all things that are a part of our sexuality. The thing is, much of society cannot fathom the fact that sexuality also exists within the lives of people with disabilities and as a disabled artist, I make work to change how society views US.

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   I create work to make the unseen seen, to take the speculative and make it fact, to make us feel like we belong, and to show and tell people not to feel pity or embarrassment for us. I use plaster castings of my body parts to bring the diverse body front and center and I use these forms to talk about a variety of sexual topics such as sex and gender, intimacy, vulnerability, pleasure, taboo, and sexual empowerment. I am drawn to using plaster and found materials because they give me a chance to manipulate whatever I am using to explore its capabilities. I also repurpose older work that I feel needs a change, which helps cut down on waste and remain an Earth conscious artist.

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   The intersection of sexuality and disability is rarely discussed in modern visual art culture. Our bodies are diverse in many forms and should be celebrated, not ashamed. Being able to get this work out there and just be heard brings me to the studio day after day. The work that I do opposes the conjecture put forth by society that people with disabilities do not have sexual authority and power because sexuality and sexual depiction in human disability are often considered abnormal because of poor visibility in the world of arts and human disqualification in society.

 

Larissa Danielle