The Superhumans! Putting them on a Pedestal, 2019

Size: 70x70x200cm

I was commissioned to make this cardboard sculpture by Bournemouth and Bath Universities. It was designed to investigate the concept of the disabled athlete and the narrative of the ‘superhuman.’ As an amputee, I wanted to investigate differing perceptions of amputees – from soldier, to car accident victim, to illness, to athlete. The perception of the heroic inspirational figure and the acquisition of the cultural hierarchy changes how we construct the value of disability. The text on the base – gold, silver, bronze – relates to the hierarchy of athletic, cultural and social achievement.

This sculpture was exhibited in ‘Body Parts: Disability and the Cultural Legacy of the Paralympic Games’ in July 2019. The exhibition was presented in conjunction with Bath University, Bournemouth University, the Arts and Humanities Research Council and pasccal.com.