Artist in Residence

Simon(e) van Saarloos:

Kevin Gotkin is active as an academic, activist and queer party lover. He has a long-standing history of disability arts organizing in New York. Online parties – accessible for anyone living at home or bedridden – already existed long before Covid Zoom parties were ‘discovered’. Gotkin’s work not only focuses on adapting art spaces to increase accessibility, he also pays particular attention to the fundamental structures that determine what is considered as an additional modification and who is ‘usually’ invited. Minimal, mandatory accessibility requirements are important, but it is much more fundamental to fully design and furnish spaces stemming from disability experience. The vulnerability of illness or disability is seen as something that must be combatted, precisely by celebrating discipline and perseverance. This creates a skewed relationship between the hero and the ‘needy’. As a disability activist and an artist, Gotkin searches for brilliant imperfection. As artist-in-residence, he’ll share (online) space with local activists and he will also be organizing a party. As a prelude to his stay in Amsterdam, he shares some of his inspirations here (from the US context): Park McArthur, Tina Zavitsanos, Carolyn Lazard, Jordan Lord, Amalle Dublon, Alice Sheppard, Jerron Herman, Shannon Finnegan, Ezra Benus, Marissa Perel, Yo-Yo Lin, Pelenakeke Brown.