Define Yourself: Riva Lehrer’s and Jan Grue’s Disability Memoirs

I'm Done With the Costumes That Hid the 'Monster' Beneath

The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery has announced the finalists in the sixth triennial Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition. Their work will be presented in “The Outwin 2022: American Portraiture Today,” a major exhibition premiering at the National Portrait Gallery from April 30, 2022, through Feb. 26, 2023, before traveling to other cities in the United States.

This episode of Unboxing the Canon introduces the topic of disability and the visual arts, looking at both historical and contemporary examples. We consider the near absence of visible disability in the history of Western art and discuss how some contemporary artists are representing disability in powerful ways.

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)

Artist and Disability Activist Riva Lehrer in conversation with Lawrence Weschler

The Virus Has Stolen Your Face From Me

Riva engages in fascinating conversation with David Mitchell

Riva speaks to SAIC about her art, stigmatized identities, and the challenge of writing a memoir.

Meet the Author with Penguin Random House

Golem Girl listed as Pure Wow's number 33 of 75 Best Gifts for Men

Ford, Mellon Team to names Riva a Disability Futures Fellow

Chicago Review of Books has named Golem Girl as a finalist for the CHIRBy Award in the category of Nonfiction.

Riva in conversation with artist Molly Crabapple, moderated by publisher Christopher Jackson.

Lit Hub's The Hub announces Disability Futures Fellows

Riva is honored to be among the winners of the first Disability Futures initiative, a new fellowship established by the Ford Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support disabled artists.

Riva visits with NPR's Scott Simon and family on Open Book.

Scott Simon speaks to Riva about her new book, which recounts a life growing up with spina bifida.

The Jewish Journal reviews Golem Girl

Golem Girl named one of Amazon's Best Books of October

Golem Girl named October's Most Anticipated LGBTQ Books

Riva in conversation with Los Angeles-based writer and independent curator Terry R. Myers .

Kirkus declares Golem Girl, "An extraordinary memoir suffused with generosity, consistent insight, and striking artwork."

Golem Girl was published by the One World imprint of Penguin/Random House. Christopher Jackson, publisher and senior editor, has established One World as a powerful home for literary social justice. Authors include Ta-Nehisi Coates, Ibram X Kendi, and Mira Jacob.

Shout out from the folks at Code of the Freaks