Interview with Elizabeth Rajchart for Opulent Mobility 2023-4
Channel: Opulent Mobility
Date: 2023-12-22

Interview with photographer Elizabeth Rajchart for Opulent Mobility 2023-4! Many thanks to Elizabeth for sharing her striking photos and her story. Interview by founder A. Laura Brody, ASL interpretation by Joe Roger Rivera Perez.

Elizabeth Rajchart
https://www.elizabethrajchart.com/
Barb and Karen
Framed archival print, 20” x 16”

“My project is meant to give the disability community a way to take back our power in how we choose to present ourselves and create a more inclusionary space in the field of photography. Through photography, my models can present their strength, sexiness, and personality in a way that feels right for them, not as dictated by an ableist society. 

The disabled are the largest and most neglected minority. News about our rights being taken away (ADA repeals, lack of accessibility, Medicaid cuts, declining educational equality, etc.) stays under the radar to be disregarded by the media and general population. Additionally, we are quickly losing our autonomy to choose how we present ourselves to society. Living as a disabled person means being seen by society as an asexual less-than to be pitied, not admired, or thought as beautiful or desirable. Photography is also a very ableist field, particularly any type of intimate portraiture photography. My goal is to change that and help foster a culture where all bodies are celebrated. 

My motivation for this project began when my health began declining, and I sometimes required a wheelchair. At the same time, my photography was shifting to an intimate portraiture specialization, and I realized how neglected the disability community was in this area. It was clear why: society is subconsciously taught that disabled people don’t feel or want to be seen as sexy. Also, many photographers simply don’t have the time, energy, or drive to learn how to work with this population-certainly not enough to specialize in it. 

My goal with this project is to reach all demographics within the disability community, and foster a new era of art accessibility. Photography has historically either ignored the disabled or used us as subjects to pity or place on a pedestal of “inspiration porn”. My project takes our voice and power back, while creating an inclusive space in an otherwise ableist and exclusionary field, and to give the disability community an opportunity to show their inner strength- however that is defined for each individual. Our community is constantly told what we are; I want to give us the chance to define our strength as we choose while creating a more inclusive space in the fields of beauty, sexuality, and photography.”

Art description by Teri Grossman: 
In this color photograph, two blonde women, both seated in wheelchairs, are back-to-back. The woman on left has a round face, pale complexion, and chin length hair. She wears narrow rectangular glasses and has bright pink lips in a wide smile. Her sweater has black and white stripes at the top with the lower edge a rainbow stripe. The woman on the right has shoulder length hair, red lips and a broad smile. Her sweater is white with a rainbow pattern over the chest. Their heads touch and each grasps the wheel of the other’s chair. They are on an asphalt road with out of focus gold foliage in the background.

Opulent Mobility is an annual, international exhibit that asks artists to re-imagine disability as opulent and powerful. For more details on the exhibit and artists, go to www.opulentmobility (dot) com.