“We Fight On Because We Have To,” (2023) Digital Photographs.
In this series, I documented inaccessible parts of my college campus while dressed as our mascot.
We Fight On Because We Have To (1)
In this series, I documented inaccessible parts of my college campus while dressed as our mascot. The first photo in the series is in color. It shows myself using my wheelchair in a busy crowd of USC fans before a football game. I painted myself white to highlight how the Tommy Trojan mascot is rooted in values of ableism and white supremacy, so my white body stands out against the blacks, reds, and golds of the sports fans’ attire.
In this series, I documented inaccessible parts of my college campus while dressed as our mascot. I am in my wheelchair sitting across from the famous statue of Tommy Trojan. The statue is elevated on a very tall pedestal, forcing me to look up at it. There are also stairs in front of the pedestal, which would prevent me from being able to approach it closely. The lack of color in the photo highlights the timeless idea of able bodies being elevated above disabled bodies.
This image depicts how my chronic pain and illness are with me all the time, like a shadow in the background. I painted the grotesque, colorless monster behind me using my MRI images as a reference. I am standing in the foreground wearing colorful clothes and an orange wig. I look contemplative and unbothered by the monster behind me, despite its large size and threatening appearance. I positioned my shadow in the photo so that the monster looks like it is about to attack my shadow, illustrating how invisible illness works beneath the surface.
“Neuropathy” 2ft×3ft (2023) Thread, xray printed on fabric.
I embroidered my xrays from before and after spinal fusion surgery to show how I experienced permanent nerve damage and pain as a result. On the left side, the viewer can see my severe scoliosis, as I had a 73° curvature before surgery. My nerves on that side are represented by gold thread to symbolize how precious they are. On the right side, the viewer can see my corrected curve and titanium implants. Instead of gold, the nerves on this side are a blackish-turquoise color to show how they have been damaged. Some of the threads are coming out of the fabric to further emphasize the lasting pain caused by the surgery.
I put jewels alongside my scar from my knee surgery to make it appear hyper feminine. I am wearing bright pink clothes while looking directly at the camera. My knee scar is fully visible, starting from the top of my knee and goes about 7 inches down my shin. My pose and expression illustrate my confidence in my body. I took the photo while on my bed because it was very shortly after my osteotomy knee surgery, so I was unable to walk or leave my home. While society views scars as attractive on men but ugly on women, I believe scars are representations of strength and perseverance, which makes them beautiful.
maya graine is a disabled artist from Morrison, Colorado, and a soon-to-be graduate of USC’s Roski School of Art and Design. maya’s art practice centers around her experiences as a chronically ill and disabled woman navigating the American medical system. You can visit a full selection of maya’s work at: mayagraine.com.
