Brand Library & Art Center presents Opulent Mobility, curated by founder A. Laura Brody and Anthony Tusler in collaboration with students from Glendale Unified School District (GUSD). Founded in 2015, Opulent Mobility has been hosting annual open calls for artworks that tell stories that humanize, uplift and celebrate disabled artists and disability art.

Opulent Mobility will feature artworks by established artists and by Glendale Unified School District (GUSD) student artists representing Anderson W. Clark High School, Crescenta Valley High School, Daily High School and Glendale High School.

The exhibition will feature Southern California-based artists with artworks in a variety of media including sculpture, painting, video, audio and fiber. 

Brody said that elevating disabled artists and disability art counters the far too common and dangerous perspective that dismisses the value of disabled lives. 

“We are living in an increasingly ableist environment that is willing to let elderly and disabled people disappear in the name of economy and convenience,” she said. “It is more crucial than ever to share art and stories that offer an opportunity for others to understand and appreciate disability culture and the challenges that disabled populations face. This exhibit is for people with disabilities to see themselves portrayed by artists with similar life experiences and for people without disabilities to better understand their disabled friends, family members, neighbors, and co-workers.”

 Opulent Mobility has partnered with seniors at GUSD to present works addressing the themes present in the exhibit, allowing GUSD students to exhibit alongside professional working artists in the gallery. 

Opulent Mobility will be on view from April 26 – June 21. Artists from Opulent Mobility and GUSD will be present at the opening reception on Saturday, April 26 from 6 – 9 p.m. accompanied by a live performance from artist and composer Tom Peters. ASL interpreters will be in attendance to assist hearing impaired and deaf attendees as well as detailed descriptions of artworks in large print and Braille booklets online via QR codes for blind and low vision attendees. 

Brand Library & Art Center is located at 1601 W. Mountain St. in Glendale.