Deaf Art Sees Light: Lexington School Celebration
by M. C. Cohen

“Seeing Through Deaf Eyes” is a daring and different art exhibit featuring 14 of the best known deaf artists around the country. The exhibit honored the 135th anniversary of the Lexington School and Center for the Deaf in Queens, New York.

The participating artists featured a wide variety of styles, including photography and classical, modern non-expressionist and impressionist painting. Most (but not all) of the themes were based on being deaf. This genre of art is called De’VIA—Deaf View/Image Art.

According to the curators of the exhibit Leslie Kushner and Jane Alpert, “the work of deaf artists explores, among other subjects, the history and oppression of deaf people, the beauty of artistry of sign language, and the anger at the stigma of deafness.”

“I’m fascinated by texture,” said Rita Straubhaar, the exhibit’s top photographer, who specializes in flowers and nature. “Deaf people are more interested in light and texture. Feeling of softness or bumps.”

Chuck Beard, one of the founding artists of the De’VIA art movement, featured his painting Left and Right, a work that jumped out at you the moment you entered the room. Depicting the two sides of the human brain, “the painting symbols—the sun and the moon, the crossed calla lilies—represent the artist as a person between the hearing and deaf worlds,” said Beard.

“People ask me, are you a deaf artist or a painter?” he said. “It’s not important to label yourself. I believe in art that comes from the spirit.”

“We felt that by bringing together 14 prominent deaf artists we would accomplish a dual purpose,” said Oscar P. Cohen, Superintendent/Director of the Lexington school: “to display the talent and potential of deaf people to the general public, and to present role models for deaf children.”

Lexington is the largest school of its kind in New York State. “Our goal is to teach the deaf and the hard of hearing communication and language skills so that they can compete with the general population,” said Cohen. Deaf schools have always been the center of strong and lasting ties in the deaf community. Lexington, a school that was founded in 1865 in New York City, was originally established to meet the needs of deaf children of immigrants. However, its focus has since broadened to serve the entire deaf community.

Charles Wildbank, another artist in the exhibit, takes photographs and makes oil paintings out of them. He uses predominantly deaf themes. He used to be a teacher for the deaf but left to pursue his art, but still considers himself an educator. “You need to be an inspiration to others,” he said. “The only way is to love what you do. I love to paint. I want to help the deaf. I’m still a teacher but I don’t have to be paid to do it.” #

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