Story by Freya Pineda, Magazine Editor
Photo Illustration by Hannah Kampitan, Co-Editor-In-Chief
The Cypress College photo club hosted a deeply personal exhibition, Disabled is Not a Bad Word, curated by Esme Felix. This exhibition brings together a diverse group of photographers who explore disability through their lenses, offering a powerful commentary on identity, resilience, and representation.
Curator and artist Esme Felix, a southern California-based commercial and portrait photographer, uses her art to unpack medical trauma and advocate for disability rights. Her ongoing series, El Lugar Correcto, is a deeply personal exploration of medical trauma, depicted through the symbolic use of IV bags, needles, and delicate floral imagery. Diagnosed with chronic pain, Felix conveys a compelling juxtaposition of perseverance and vulnerability, showing that life, like flowers, is both beautiful and fragile.
Brody Makua, a multidisciplinary artist known for her work in theater and music, debuted her photography in this exhibition. Her series highlights the contradictions of living with the disability, portraying both the freedoms and limitations that come with it. Through contrast light and dark, and the interplay of soft fabrics against medical equipment, Makwa emphasizes the often unseen complexities of disabilities.
Photographer Valerie Brayton focuses on disability representations through two powerful series, Visibly Invisible and MORE THAN. By capturing individuals in natural environments, Brighton challenges preconceived notions about disabilities, urging viewers to look beyond the surface. In MORE THAN, she documents her personal journey with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), Confronting infertility with an emotive storytelling approach that navigates grief, acceptance, and found joy beyond societal expectations of motherhood.
Kayla Plumstead, additionally, presents PCOS: My Silent Battle, a series of self portraits illustrating her experience with PCOS. Her deeply personal images document symptoms and struggles, to educate and provide solidarity to others living with PCOS.
Sea Krob, aLos Angeles based artist, critically examines the intersections of disability, gender, race, and class in relation to the medical industrial complex. Their work provokes viewers to reconsider however engaged with disabled narrative, shifting from passive observers to active participants and ongoing suicidal conversations about healthcare and accessibility.
Chris Drake, a queer neurodivergent artist and educator, uses multimedia to explore the intersections of body, mind, and suicidal structures. Their work reflects on neurodivergence, chronic pain, and the process of self discovery demonstrating how art can be vital for personal and communal healing.
In a similar fashion, Zenia Baltagi explores the privilege of mobility through her work, drawing on personal experiences of cultural and economic displacement. She integrates the materials with themes of labor, resistance, and act reflecting on the broader social implications of movement and restriction.
Renowned photographer and educator Courtney Cole contributes a visual narrative that intertwines memory, light, and a shadow of home. Her photography has been widely recognized including as part of a Pulitzer finalist team with The Wall Street Journal.
Each artist in Disabled is Not a Bad Word shares an intimate perspective on disability, challenging mirrors to reconsider their own perceptions and biases. Through photography, they capture not just their struggles but also their strength, beauty, and resilience. This exhibition is more than a display of art, it is a movement towards greater understanding and acceptance of diverse experiences.
Disabled is Not a Bad Word is on display at Cypress College’s Eduard de Merlier Gallery in TE-1, Second Floor, Building 10. Don’t miss this opportunity to witness the powerful storytelling of these talented artists.
For more information, follow @cypressphotoclub on Instagram
