Mobility Humanities

This paper builds on the work in the fields of mobility and art to discuss the contribution of an ongoing collaboration between a self-identified queer, Deaf, and disabled art practitioner, Asphyxia, and two non-disabled geographers. The paper captures our collaboration in the context of a participatory art project and exhibition called Wheel-Ability aimed at addressing everyday ableism and accessing public space. We draw on the concept of kin-aesthetics in creative practice and online/digital conversations to understand powered wheelchair movement and advocate for mobility justice. Our discussion is structured into two sections: questioning creative practice and advocating for mobility justice. The first discusses how Asphyxia’s creative practice aim, as a visual artist, is for self-expression and to connect with others through the experiences of viewing her art. The second offers a collaborative critical analysis of two paintings Asphyxia contributed to the exhibition titled: Sorry, the Lifestyle You Ordered Has Expired and The Frustrations of Horizontal Living. Through collaboration with disabled artists, creative methods can enhance the appreciation of the sensory in shaping the reciprocal relationship between mobility infrastructure, self, journeys, and mobility justice.