Larissa MacFarlane acquired a brain injury 24 years ago which she said allowed her to become the artist she is today.
“I had a brain injury which literally changed my brain, I had to learn how to talk and walk and through that I also became an artist, which I had never done before,” she said.
MacFarlane showed her most recent art in an exhibition at the Sunshine Arts Space.
The exhibition called ‘Practising our Pride, Remembering our ancestors’, featured a series of framed lino cuts.
“Through this exhibition I am trying to find new ways to practise disability pride and one of those ways has been looking at disability rights history,” she said.
“I have made portraits of some of our disabled ancestors who have died recently, all who have made massive contributions to the rights and the lives of disabled people in Australia and beyond.”
The month of July is Disability Pride Month which is of great significance for MacFarlane and her work to change stigma around disability.
“The exhibition explores disability as a culture and celebrates disabled culture,” she said.
“My work over the years has explored disability pride and trying to change the ways we see people with disabilities through a negative lens. I am trying to re frame that in line with the social model of disability.
“Showing that disability is part of the human experience, that there isn’t anything wrong with it or anything to be ashamed of.”
MacFarlane is a member of U3A Maribyrnong among many other groups and hobbies, she hopes that her work will change the way people with disability are viewed.
“I mostly made this exhibition for my peers and for my community and the feedback has been great from everyone.”
Jennifer Pittorino
