Pictured above: Modicum of Relief (24x12) by Lynne DeNio
U2FP has a special relationship with artists. From our long-time collaboration with filmmaker Kelsey Peterson, to our 2020 Symposium featuring 6 visual artists with an SCI, to my own son Gabriel, who’s a musician and whose 2019 performance piece, A Cripple’s Dance, made the particular universal by asking the (mostly) able-bodied audience, “How are you crippled?”
U2FP is fortunate and greatly honored to be partnering with artist Lynne DeNio this year, who generously donated 16 of her mixed media works to be displayed in-person at this year’s Symposium.
Lynne’s husband has a spinal cord injury and she reached out to us earlier this year, after years of following our education and advocacy work. What started with a suggestion of how she could donate her art to help our efforts has since blossomed into a full blown collaboration. Lynne has shipped us her art to be displayed at this year’s symposium. She’s also allowed us to display her beautiful work throughout our conference program, which you’ll get a preview of next week.
Why does U2FP consider art to be an important element of our strategy? I think Kelsey said it best a few years ago, when she was introducing our artist series at the 2020 symposium:
How do we create longevity within a movement?
We foster community. We connect.
We find joy together so we can fight together.
Art touches us emotionally and reminds us of the urgency of our work. It reconnects us with the fundamental reasons that first drove each of us down this path for functional recovery. It’s why we stay late at the lab, or lobby a legislator we’re nervous to talk to, or try something new but difficult at the clinic.
You’ll get to experience all 16 of these original art works when you join us for the symposium. If you haven’t already signed up for this one-of-a-kind gathering of the SCI and Scientific communities, please consider joining us on Friday, October 20 and Saturday, October 21, 2023 at the Minneapolis Hilton (register here).
We need as many voices from as many stakeholder groups as possible. Because we can only do this together.
Join us!
PS - Lynne’s intention is to permanently install her entire body of work in a space where people can be moved by this expression of SCI. We are currently seeking an appropriate buyer for Lynne’s art. For more details or to inquire about pricing please email me at matthewrodreick@u2fp.org
