Leroy Moore: Black/Brown International Disability Art and Hip-Hop
Oct 10, 2017
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Leroy Moore presenting on the history of Krip-Hop. Photograph by Filip Wolak
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Leroy Moore performance. Photograph by Filip Wolak
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Left to right: Leroy Moore, Carolyn Lazard, Constantina Zavitsanos, Park McArthur. Photograph by Filip Wolak
When you think of the history of hip-hop you might not automatically think of disabled artists and their influence and contributions to the genre. But during the Whitney’s June 2 event, Leroy Moore: Black/Brown International Disability Art and Hip-hop, audience members traveled from past to present in a multimedia presentation by artist Leroy Moore. In a mixture of performance, lecture, and video, Moore drew on the often overlooked history of disabled artist of color and the eventual emergence of Krip-Hop; a movement that seeks to accommodate and celebrate artists with disabilities.
Moore is a co-founder of Sins Invalid and a prominent figure in Krip-hop. Through his art and activism, Moore sheds light on the oppression, invisibility, and cultural appropriation of disabled artists, particularly of color.
The presentation was followed by a panel discussion with Moore and the organizers of the event, 2017 Whitney Biennial Artist, Park McArthur, and artist collaborators Constantina Zavitsanos and Carolyn Lazard. The conversation touched on everything from music, disability rights, police violence, to how we, as a community, can organize to dismantle inequities. It was a powerful conversation centered around unity for a divisive time in politics.
By Madison Zalopany, Coordinator of Access and Community Programs