THE INVISIBLE DISABILITY PRINT SERIES
February - April 2024
“Invisible Disability Prints: Living with Ulcerative colitis, a series of 12 A5 Lino Prints.”
The invisible diability print series is a 12 print series of lino prints on A5 paper. Created to help me process the reality I live with living with ulcerative colitis, an invisible but painful and often debilitating illness. These prints aim to create a platform for discussion while remaining discreet. A zine was created to accompany this series to explain the reason’s behind and the content of the prints so people can have honest discussions about the work.
Installed works at accessible height.
Ulcerative Colitis
23.02.2024
This Lino print originated in 2022. When I was hospitalised for the first time I spent two weeks barely feeling human, and yet with an IV in my hand I drew the intestinal/digestive tract. It helped me to understand what was happening to me and was a distraction from the pain.
Spoon Theory
25.02.2024
Spoon Theory is a theory that is used to describe energy/effort levels when living with a disability.
It’s a term of phrase I often use to communicate my energy levels to people. It’s hard to advocate for yourself when the thing your advocating about is exhaustion so having something that already explains your needs/feelings is incredibly useful.
IV
03.04.2024
The print is from a photo of my hand in 2022 when I had a two channel IV in my hand for two weeks. I get an IV every 8 weeks and each time is just as traumatising. I’m incredibly needle-phobic but it’s just something I have no choice around, otherwise I would become so ill I wouldn’t be able to function.
Crohn’s & Colitis Card
02.04.2024
I have a Crohn’s and Colitis Card. It should allow me to use any toilet urgently including staff toilets in shops. I’m incredibly grateful to have it, I even used it at the Eifel Tower and at the Range. However the lack of understanding of what it is, is difficult to combat because most staff have to go check what it is which leaves me in pain while waiting for assistance, often in resulting in making it harder to move.
Infliximab Infusion
05.04.2024
This required multiple extra carvings during trial printing. It’s an infusion packet from my 8 weekly infusions. The drugs in this bag, each dose costs £3000, and yet it’s so simple and clear. It’s crazy to know I’m only 19 and yet my life depends on a drug that if I didn’t live in the UK I wouldn’t be able to afford.
Radar Key
06.04.2024
This is a RADAR Key. It’s a universal key for disabled toilets in the UK. I keep it on a large key chain of an elephant so that I both can’t lose it and so that I can see if it’s attached to my bag clearly. However despite having this amazing tool, I have been yelled at and shoved out of the way when trying to use the disabled toilet. Because I don’t ‘look’ disabled people, especially old women, feel that I have no need to use the disabled toilet. I’m able to speak up for myself but it’s hard when experiencing urgency and the accompanied pa
Racing Heart
07.04.2024
Racing heart – this is something I experience daily because of my medications and I now have to wear a watch that monitors my heart rate. It’s had a big impact on my anxiety as well, meaning I struggle to lower my heart rate and calm down.
Medicated
08.04.2024
I take so many different medications every day. Between 5 to 9 different things. Even needing to constantly be medicated takes a tole on the everyday because I can’t forget and I have to wake up and make sure I take them with food. Not to mention the struggle of being on steroids. It’s not fun.
Morning Shot
10.04.2024
This was significantly easier to print, because although I still used a mm blade the lines were more consistent and often thicker. I take a ‘shot’ of a probiotic called Symprove every morning. It was especially formulated for IBD as it’s water based so it can be absorbed through the blood stream. I can’t just forget about my UC, every day I wake up thinking about it.
Colonoscopy
11.04.2024
This is my colon, from my colonoscopy scan in 2022. My diagnosis Pancolitis. It’s a horrible series of scans and this is one of the easier to look at and yet its bloody, scarred and damaged. There’s so much internal damage and yet you can’t see any signs externally of what I’m experiencing. It’s the only one of my prints I’ve considered printing in colour or colouring in as I wish this most ugly and agonising part of myself was beautiful.
Rod Of Asclepius
12.04.2024
The rod of Asclepius is mosaiced on the side of Southend hospital where I receive treatment. I had a discussion with one of the doctors while I was there about it’s origin and although I already knew all the great myth elements, about it being the symbol for medicine, not the med corps symbol which was actually the symbol for travel, I was introduced to the medical elements of it which was treatment for parasitic guinea worm. I’d rather just believe it’s a snake. To me it means Healing.
GB Public Toilet Map
04.2024
The Great British Public Toilet Map, is a website available to anyone with wifi that details all the free and public usage toilets in London and the UK. I have used it so many times especially at the location depicted in the image: Paddington Station. It’s these innovations that have taken a bit of my anxiety around leaving the house away. However I still plan every trip I make around my ability to access a toilet.
GALLERY
(EXHIBITIONS: REIMAGINED REALITIES - 20th - 28th February 2024; FINAL EXHIBITION - 29th April - 6th May)
All the prints in the print room on top of the pressReimagined Realities Exhibition with Artist. Ulcerative Colitis and Spoon Theory Exhibited.Reimagined RealitiesFinal Exhibition Display at Accessible display height of 120cm, to allow for wheel chair users/shorter people to be able to view the work.