"Arts in Literacy" offers a creative look
at people with disabilities

CHICAGO (January 31, 2005) — What innermost thoughts, joys, wishes and self-observations reside in the hearts, minds and souls of people with disabilities? Twenty-five of these individuals — who often are overlooked by society at large — were recently illuminated in a series of five sculptures created by Chicago multimedia artist Christopher Natali. Working in small groups with men and women who receive services at Anixter Center and who have a range of physical disabilities, developmental disabilities and mental illness, Chris created an exhibition titled “Beyond the Surface.” The project grew out of five workshops he directed in partnership with Tina Beine, AmeriCorps literacy volunteer, of Anixter Center ’s Literacy Program.

Mark Rempala

Literacy Coordinator Sara Kohl also was very instrumental in developing “Beyond the Surface.” This special arts-in-literacy project was made possible by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, and “Beyond the Surface” represents the fourth time Anixter Center has been awarded this grant from the Illinois Arts Council.

The workshops allowed participants to create self-representation pieces that were later combined to form the interactive sculptures. First, participants created visual images through digital photography. Next, written self-expression was incorporated through acrostic poetry, a poem format in which one word serves as the topic of the poem, in this case, the participant’s name. 

The men and women photographed each other and shared ideas throughout the creative process. Next to none of them was camera shy when it came time for each one’s individual photographs, and many laughs were shared as the final images were viewed by each group before Chris transformed the raw images and written expressions into their final forms — 8” x 16” sculptures, made of balsa wood, that consisted of 4-inch segments that fold into each other — rather like the familiar Rubik’s Cube. Each cube is covered with the words and images contributed by the participants. The end result is a powerful study in human nature and individuality.

“There’s a certain unconventional nature to these pieces, as well as a natural quality that isn’t ‘perfect,’” says Chris, “and that’s as it should be.” Literacy’s Tina Beine says, “’Beyond the Surface” gave our Literacy participants a way to reveal their dreams and goals, to let their true characters come through.”

“Beyond the Surface” debuted on January 31 at Anixter Center . If you’d like to see the sculptures, contact Sara Kohl at (773) 973-7900, ext. 265 or skohl@anixter.org

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The mission of the Lester and Rosalie Anixter Center is to assist people with disabilities to live and work successfully in the community. Anixter Center is a leading provider of high-quality vocational, residential and educational options, substance abuse prevention and treatment, and health care. Anixter Center is an advocate for the rights of people with disabilities to be full and equal members of the community.