designLAB
Mixed media
In South Korea, where Minky comes from, disabled people are almost invisible in society. They face systemic microaggressions and subtle forms of discrimination. By defining disability as ‘other’, society positions itself as a hierarchical framework that separates the able-bodied from the disabled.
This ‘othering’ is a strategy of control, a way of maintaining dominance by creating categories of ‘normal’ versus ‘abnormal.’ A chair is one of the most ordinary objects, instinctively associated with the simple act of sitting. By transforming it into something inaccessible, the work questions habitual divisions between the able-bodied and the disabled, allowing viewers to confront their own assumptions. It reveals difference not as something to be understood or assimilated, but as a form of fragility and dysfunction. It shows how society’s attempt to isolate disability adds to its complexity, reinforcing the need for a deeper and more inclusive understanding of accessibility and belonging.
Thank you, Marja Kennis and Léa Giordano