I was taking a stroll at the Esplanade the other day. Besides the usual head-scratching art installations which flew over my head – the current one at the concourse is a series of human-like sculptures with heads made of fan casings – I saw some things which would make all of us nod our heads.
Exhibit A
Most of the shops at the Esplanade mall have a sticker like this.
[Photo shows a shop’s glass pane door, upon which are pasted various stickers – Singapore Service Star; No Pets Allowed sign; We Are A Guide Dog Friendly Business sign.]
Exhibit B
Jamaica Cafe is a leading a cappella group from Indonesia. Set up in 1991, the group has toured widely and released an award-winning album. (Unfortunately, its performance at the Esplanade on 13 to 14 December is already over.)
[Photo shows a billboard featuring a group of five men, one of whom uses crutches and does not have hands/fingers and has one missing leg.]
Exhibit C
ExtraOrdinary Horizons, made up of deaf youth, will be performing at the concourse on 20 December.
[Photo shows a billboard of a performance schedule featuring dates and timings of various groups, among them ExtraOrdinary Horizons. A photo of the group is also shown. It will perform at the Concourse on 20 December at 7.15 to 7.45pm, and from 8.15 to 8.45pm.)
When provisions for persons with disabilities are in place, and persons with disabilities themselves appear – and perform – in public as an integral part of the mainstream arts community, you know things are headed in the right direction, that the winds of change are blowing, and the air smells sweeter..
Vox Nostra | A Voice Of Our Own 