On Display

In conjunction with the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities, NYU Tisch School of the Arts is proud to host ON DISPLAY, a structured improvisatory movement piece designed to be performed by an integrated cast. 

ON DISPLAY is a deconstructed art exhibit/fashion show- a commentary on the body as spectacle and society's obsession with body image. Members of the disability, performance, and fashion worlds are often stared at and objectified in their daily lives. 

Reverting the gaze is integral to disability culture. In this installation, the performers have the power to choose what they do or do not reveal, giving them control over a personal journey that cannot help but be affected by an audience. The tenuous and complex relationship between viewer and viewed that exists in performative work also permeates everyday life with people who are different in some physical way and hence draws attention to themselves whether they want to or not.

We invite audience members to photograph, film, tweet, and post your walk through. Out of respect for the performers, we request that this be done from a distance and without a flash.

Use the hashtag #OnDisplay to explore the intersection of art, fashion, and the everyday.

Costume design by Anna Kathleen Little
Photos by Charlotte Jones and Amro Arida