Rebecca Buckley

(she/her)

Rebecca Buckley is a neurodivergent, d/deaf anti-disciplinary creative researcher, writer, visual artist, creative facilitator and accessibility activist.

In her creative practice Rebecca works across multiple disciplines, spanning sculpture, painting, print-making, soundscapes, film, metalwork, creative walking and writing – including poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction and screenwriting.

Rebecca is developing a project responding to accessibility challenges she finds visiting art galleries in London, Switzerland and Italy.  On show here are some of her initial responses to these challenges through painting, sculpture and audio theatre since the start of the project in July 2024.

How it Feels

Sculpture representing how the artist feels when walking into an inaccessible and insensitive exhibition

Roughly human shaped figure made from smooth ochre red clay. The figure is prone, like it has kneeled down and then rested its head on the floor. Its arms are beside its body, lying on the marble below.

Roughly human shaped figure made from smooth ochre red clay. The figure is prone, like it has kneeled down and then rested its head on the floor. Its arms are beside its body, lying on the marble below.

Terracotta Clay on recycled Portland stone

Rebecca Buckley 2024

Different Faces 1-3

How as disabled and neurodivergent visitors we can feel like a court jester or performer on show for organisations who say they ‘listen’ to their customers

Different Faces 1

A blue wash covers the canvas. An impressionist graphite drawing of a person with what looks like their arms wrapped around their body. The objects face shows a slightly darker hue of the blue wash, its giving a side eye to the left. The clothing on their top half is a wash of turquoise, with what looks like a burnt orange hankerchief wrapped around their neck. Ontop of the head there is a small patch of yellow, and on that a red on top, contrasting the blue.

A blue wash covers the canvas. An impressionist graphite drawing of a person with what looks like their arms wrapped around their body. The objects face shows a slightly darker hue of the blue wash, its giving a side eye to the left. The clothing on their top half is a wash of turquoise, with what looks like a burnt orange hankerchief wrapped around their neck. Ontop of the head there is a small patch of yellow, and on that a red on top, contrasting the blue.

Recycled gouache, watercolour and graphite on recycled paper

Rebecca Buckley 2024

Different Faces 2

Blue face on a white background. Similarly drawn impressionist face, with a blue wash as skin tone, its eyes are looking to the left of the portrait. There is a small border of yellow above the head with a tall red hat on top.

Blue face on a white background. Similarly drawn impressionist face, with a blue wash as skin tone, its eyes are looking to the left of the portrait. There is a small border of yellow above the head with a tall red hat on top.

Recycled gouache, watercolour and acrylic ink on recycled paper

Rebecca Buckley 2024

Different Faces 3

Recycled gouache, watercolour and graphite on recycled paper

Rebecca Buckley 2024

Ticking All the Boxes

Can organisations’ cope when we are more than one? What if we are disabled, neurodivergent and mixed race?

Recycled gouache, graphite and acrylic marker on recycled paper

Rebecca Buckley 2024

Writing

Prologue

A verse introduction to ‘Feedback’ an audio play exploring how I might respond to a large art gallery/museum when they reply to my feedback on the inaccessibility of one of their exhibitions.

The nice lady outside didn’t know where the large print notes were

Never mind, the nice lady on the desk found them.

 

They were A4, 

comb bound,

and felt hasty, 

heavy

unwieldy

confusing 

 

Never mind, the nice person upstairs did their best to explain but it was difficult 

to hear over the noise.

 

I did try to read it afterwards

but it was difficult 

in the 

dim light.



But back to the entrance.

Hurray! 

Disposable ear plugs!

 

But I can’t wear them or the ear defenders

because of my hearing aid.

 

It seems that the game with the labels in the downstairs exhibition 

hall has transferred from the previous show.

Only this time when I ask for help,

I can’t hear the staff above the din.

 

And anyway, they were wearing headphones 

because the sound was too loud.

 

Surround sound.

 

Noise

upon noise

upon noise

in the 

dim

dark.

Feedback

Draft first act of an audio play exploring how I might respond to a large art gallery/museum when they reply to my feedback on the inaccessibility of one of their exhibitions.

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