A poem by Infannity entitled Bin
I'm often asked to produce some artwork or a cartoon for a piece of poetry or prose that has been created by a fellow artist. This one in particular fired my imagination and made me want to share it with you.
BIN
(for Jimmy Fingers, with peace love and understanding)
The place has walls,
I can touch them if I wish,
I could no longer tell you their colour
they are the same colour as all the walls
in all the other places.
Here I wander
Here I touch and feel
Here no-one can hurt me.
Here I am reminded when to eat and sleep
by a clock
that someone else watches.
Here I say what I am thinking
Here I say what thinks me.
That is why I am here.
Here is where I remind myself I am
When here is where I am not.
Because they haven’t got a name for that
Because they haven’t got a place
for people who do things they can’t find names for.
That is why I am here.
by Infannity
Crippen takes a cynical look at the use of bounty hunters to round up benefit cheats
A recent survey shows that society has completely fallen for the latest piece of CONDEM misinformation that millions of pounds are being claimed fraudulently, especially those benefits that are designed to assist Disabled people to compete more equally in the work place. They also endorse the use of paid Bounty Hunters to track these alleged cheats down.
The fact that the government’s own figures show that this fraud claim is a complete nonsense and that millions of pounds lay unclaimed by those people who are entitled to them, doesn’t stop them from continuing to spout out this dangerous rubbish.
Disabled people have once again been identified as being either frauds and not entitled to the benefits they are claiming (and this particularly applies to those of us with a hidden impairment) or as being vulnerable members of society that need caring for (us crips having been lumped back in again with the ‘vulnerable members of society’ definition!).
So much for all of the hard work that has gone into identifying the disabling barriers that exist within society; the attempts to make society a more level playing field with Disabled people having an equal opportunity to live, travel, work and play along with our non-disabled brethren.
What next - licences for Disabled people to beg in the streets as ‘deserving poor’ as was the case a hundred or so years ago? With this lot in power nothing would surprise me!
PS. It looks as though there will be the biggest turn out ever of Disabled people and their allies for the planned protest outside of the Tory Party conference on 3rd October. Watch for some quick changes in the law as the CONDEMs declare us all terrorists and ban everyone from the streets during that week!
Crippen's work with Disability Cornwall and the Discover magazine
One of the groups of Disabled people I enjoy producing artwork for are the editorial team of Discover magazine, the ‘voice’ of disabled people in Cornwall and the quarterly publication of Disability Cornwall.
Not for them the black and white photocopies of several A4 sheets, stapled at the corner and containing inaccessible text and artwork (often my cartoons, which I produce in full colour, end up looking like an indecipherable mass of greys and blacks with no real clue as to their content!)
Each issue of Discover is professionally produced in full colour, containing news and views from the many disabled people living in that part of the world, along with photos and illustrations that can be easily accessed.
Here’s one example of a cartoon I produced for the summer 2010 issue and involves a tale of frustration from a disabled reader regarding her attempts to obtain a new prosthesis!
For more information about Disability Cornwall please click this link.
Crippen orders his very own 'mini-Mandeville' Olympic soft toy
Wow ... from Tuesday 24th August you'll be able to order your very own 'mini-Mandeville', the soft toy manufactured in China to represent the crip part of the 2012 Olympics.
It's only 25 pounds plus 4.95 delivery (guaranteed delivery within 2 days, or if you can't wait that long you can pay extra for next day delivery!).
Sorry to report that the boxed sets are already sold out, but you can always make your own box I would have thought?!
The only thing that worries me is that it says in the advertising blurb that it comes with small parts. I do hope that people don't get the wrong idea about us because of this. Although as they say, size isn't everything!
I've already ordered mine!
PS. In case you think I made this up, have a look for yourself! Click here for the link to the site.
Crippen reports on his recent visit to the Arts and Disability Forum, Belfast
If like me, you've never visited
Gallery and Events Officer Leo Devlin was there to welcome me at the offices of the Arts and Disability Forum (ADF) and give me a quick tour of the exhibition space and other facilities that we'd be using that afternoon. I'd only previously corresponded with Leo by email and it was great to actually get to meet him face to face.
Organised primarily by Chris Ledger (Chief Executive) and ably assisted by Leo and Michelle Henry, ADF's Finance Officer, an exhibition of my cartoons entitled ‘The world of Crippen’ was scheduled to kick-off that afternoon. This was to follow a short introductory talk about my work in the meeting room upstairs.
The folks at ADF had done a lovely job on the cartoons; framing them in matt aluminium and hanging them on the purpose built display boards that were set around the exhibition space.
Before people started to arrive I had a chance to chat with Chris and Leo and learn a bit more about the organisation. With strong links established with other arts organisations, ADF seems to have become the main focus for disability arts in
Speaking later to Noirin McKinney, who's the Director of Arts Development at the Northern Ireland Arts Council, she expressed her admiration for what had been achieved by the ADF team in a relatively short space of time.
The introductory talk was opened by Margaret Mann, Chair of ADF who welcomed representatives from many of the City’s allied organisations including Queer Action and Open Arts. The talk ran over time as visitors to the exhibition questioned me about events taking place within mainland Disability Arts, especially where art was being used to confront the inequality of life for Disabled people.
Chris and I actually go back some way and between us we remembered and shared with the audience many anecdotes and stories from our involvements in early DAN actions etc. In fact it was handy having her there as on several occasions my memory failed me and she was able to provide the name of a person or occasion that had slipped out of my mind (that's what happens when you get older!)
The ADF team had already started to raise awareness regarding the concept of disabling barriers within society and how disabled artists could use their art to confront these. My cartoons had been selected to reinforce this theme and they seemed to have helped generate a positive and empowering effect upon visitors to the exhibition.
The exhibition was opened by Monica Wilson, Chair of Belfast Disability Action, who spoke about past and future collaborations with ADF. I'd previously provided a christmas card cartoon for them which portrayed Martin McGuinness as santa's little helper (I think Ian Paisley was santa!) and she pulled my leg about him still looking for me (which is what this week's cartoon is based upon!)
A further welcome was provided by Noirin McKinney of the NI Arts Council who encouraged visitors to mingle and discuss the work on display whilst enjoying the refreshments that had been provided.
A canvas containing a huge question mark had been framed and hung on one of the walls within the exhibition. Beneath this was a box with a postal slot set into it. The purpose of this was to invite visitors to the exhibition to post a suggestion for a new Crippen cartoon to be created. This had to relate to a disability related situation currently taking place within NI and which then could be presented to the appropriate political or charitable representative as part of a wider campaign.
The exhibition, entitled ‘The world of Crippen’ is staying at the ADF premises for a few more days before touring other disability related bases in NI. The individual limited, framed prints are for sale with all proceeds going to ADF to fund their continuing programme of disability arts for NI.
For myself, I found the enthusiasm and energy that was being channelled at ADF gave me a huge boost and a determination to return in the near future for further collaboration with them.
Visit the ADF website to learn more about Arts Disability Forum or contact Chris Ledger at: chris@adf.ie
Crippen receives a well deserved honour?!
Back from a three week break which has included a visit to Belfast's Disability Arts Forum (of which, more to follow) Crippen resumes his blog with news from the West country.
I've had what some would ironically call a well deserved acolade!
Having recently moved into a new, purpose built set of offices, Disability Cornwall agreed to hold a competition to decide what to call their all singing, all dancing suite of accessible toilets and changing rooms.
Care to guess what they came up with?
Yep, you've guessed it. 'The Crippen Rooms'!
The puns and funny comments may now start ...
PS. Jane and her colleagues have very kindly framed about a dozen of my cartoons which are now on display throughout the centre. They also asked me to create a giant cartoon banner for them which is now hanging over the main entrance. Call in if you're passing, they'd love to see you.