Episode details

World Service,27 Oct 2021,23 mins
People used to stare at me. I fight back with my paintbrush
The Outlook Podcast ArchiveAvailable for over a year
American artist Riva Lehrer was born with spina bifida. She endured countless medical procedures through her childhood and adolescence and was told she would never have a job, a romantic relationship or an independent life. But everything changed when as an adult Riva was invited to join the Disabled Artists Collective, a group of artists, writers and performers who were challenging myths around disability in their work. She tells Emily Webb how she began to paint their portraits - and through her art started to transform the stories she’d been told about herself. (This interview contains language that some listeners might find offensive) Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com Presenter: Emily Webb Producer: Zoe Gelber Picture: '66 Degrees'. A self-portrait by Riva Lehrer, 2019. Credit: Riva Lehrer
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