This workshop, led by #CripRitual artist Sky Cubacub, asks: How do you make/ hack your wardrobe to make it fully celebrate the intersection of all of your identities? Participants will explore the idea of Radical Visibility, a Disabled Queer dress reform movement based on highlighting the parts of us that society typically shuns. Sky will be continuously doing interactive draping demos using a no-sew method of designing, using only the clothing in your closet, which works best to promote creativity and imagination. This is hands on dress up time for all ages!

Goals: Become more radically visible and encourage participants to express themselves through dress, create new zero waste silhouettes that aren't based on mainstream fashion and analyze how clothing dictates how we feel, and move on a daily basis.

Co-presented by Tangled Art + Disability and the Doris McCarthy Gallery.

This free program is open to everyone. It will be hosted on Zoom and will have ASL interpretation and captioning. If you have other accommodation needs, please let us know when registering or contact dmg.utsc@utoronto.ca.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Sky Cubacub (They/Them/Xe/Xem/Xyr) is a non-binary disabled Filipinx neuroqueer from Chicago, IL. They are the creator of Rebirth Garments, a line of wearables for trans, queer and disabled people of all sizes and ages, which started in summer 2014. Sky is the editor of the Radical Visibility Zine, a full color cut and paste style zine that celebrates disabled queer life, with an emphasis on joy. Additionally they are the Access Brat and the editor of a section on ethics and inclusion called “Cancel & Gretel” at literary fashion magazine “Just Femme and Dandy”. Sky has also created a queer DIY fashion program series with Chicago Public Library Called Radical Fit. They have had over 45 fashion performances and lectured at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Rhode Island School of Design, the University of Utah, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Northwestern University. Rebirth Garments has been featured in Teen Vogue, Nylon, Playboy, Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, Vice, Wussy Mag, and the New York Times. Sky was named 2018 Chicagoan of the Year by the Chicago Tribune and is a 2019/2020 Kennedy Center Citizen Artist and a Disability Futures Fellow.

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

This workshop is presented as part of the programming for #CripRitual, multi-site and online exhibition featuring works by more than 20 artists curated by the Critical Design Lab, co-presented by the Doris McCarthy Gallery and Tangled Art + Disability from January 21 - April 1, 2022.

The exhibition features artworks that illustrate and create examples of crip rituals — practices that disabled, crip, d/Deaf, Mad, and Sick people undertake alone and in groups to care for each other, build political and social power, survive in the face of discrimination and oppression, and manage the ways that others see us. This exhibition recognizes crip rituals as processes and events for surviving ableism and claiming power that may be secular, spiritual, political, or in-between.

Visit CripRitual.com for more information and to engage with the exhibition virtually.

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The Doris McCarthy Gallery provides an open space for the critical and civil exchange of ideas. By registering for this program you agree to help create an atmosphere of mutual inclusion and respect for all persons. This includes speaking, acting, and behaving in a way that is absent of violence, harassment, racism, intimidation, bullying or discrimination of any kind regardless of, and not limited to gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, culture, age and ability.

The Doris McCarthy Gallery at times records programs and events for the purposes of education, archive, and promotion. The Doris McCarthy Gallery will not use these recordings for commercial purposes. Participants will be notified at the beginning of a program or event when recordings will be taken. Please disable your video and/or microphone if you do not wish to be recorded.

Image description: Sky Cubacub stands in front of sign that says "REBIRTH" in black textile letters, against a dark blue wall. Sky is wearing a black shirt, with a silver and colourful jeweled belt and silver chain harness over one shoulder, an iridescent pink scaled chainmaille headpiece, and an abstractly patterned blue mask with clear plastic over the mouth.